The figure for the 21/22 financial year marks a significant increase from £1.8m in the financial year 20/21 - highlighting the impact of COVID-19 closures on social value.

The Black Country-based charity, which runs nine leisure facilities across the borough for Sandwell Council, is the only leisure operator to achieve RoSPA’s Order of Distinction Award for achieving the highest Gold Health & Safety Standard for 16 consecutive years.

The Social Value report quantifies and benchmarks the contribution sport services make on four main categories - physical and mental health, subjective wellbeing, individual development and social and community development – and is a key measure of how charitable and leisure operators contribute to their local areas.

The key findings from the report about SLT facilities are: 

• eight out of nine Sandwell sites sit in the top 3rd or 4th group for social value per person, with SLT consequently placed in the top 30 per cent overall nationally
• Some 327,000 active and 343,000 fairly active individuals attended Sandwell’s facilities, with the majority attending from Sandwell borough
• 1 per cent of participants were from IMD group 1 or 2 (the most deprived groups)

“We are delighted to demonstrate how leisure in Sandwell is contributing back to the borough. Social value is a key measure to help understand how participation in physical activity is improving health, improving educational attainment and reducing crime,” said Mark Wildman, SLT business & commercial manager.