Leading leisure management contractor, Parkwood Leisure, has made a strategic decision to remove all sunbeds from its leisure centres as from 1st January 2010.
Andrew Holt, Managing Director commented, “health and safety is our number one priority and always will be. We have reviewed the appropriate and safe use of sunbeds in Parkwood Leisure for sometime and having considered the latest research in this area, we now feel that removing the sunbeds is in the best interests of our customers. Our local authority clients have given us their unanimous support for this initiative”.
Parkwood Leisure operates 81 leisure centres throughout the UK, with sunbeds provided at the majority of these venues. The company has reviewed the recent findings from the 2009 report produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as part of its decision to remove sunbeds.
Lorraine Langdon, a member at Cardiff International Pool commented, “I am pleased to see that the sunbeds are being removed from our centre. I think they are detrimental to our health and it is good to see that customers and members' health alike are being taken into consideration."
The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Councillor Kate Wild at Solihull Council stated, “The safety of our residents is of primary concern, I therefore wholeheartedly support this decision by Parkwood Leisure.”
Katy Scammell, Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart manager, said: “We’re really pleased to hear that Parkwood Leisure are removing sunbeds from their leisure centres and Cancer Research UK fully supports this step. Sunbeds have no real health benefits”.
Parkwood Leisure is working in partnership with our local authority clients and suppliers to provide alternative facilities within the existing sunbed rooms. Some of the current initiatives include the introduction of hydrotherapy beds, massage, nail clinics and Power Plates.
Contacts Graeme MacLennan - Head of Sales and Marketing
Tel. 01299 253400
graeme.maclennan@parkwood-leisure.co.uk
Andrew Holt – Managing Director
Tel 01299 253400
ReferencesReport by International Agency for Research on Cancer 2009