Behind the Scenes: August ‘25
August is a month of transitions that brings the last stretch of summer before the return to school and, dare we say it, the first noticed glimpses of Autumn. At Atlantis, that same change was felt in a season of new ideas, busy camps, family fun, and a few essential fixes behind the scenes. Here’s what we’ve been up to over the past while at your community-run leisure centre:
Camps -‘ shorter weeks, bigger impact’
This summer we tried something a little different with our Sports Camps. Instead of running our camps programme five days a week as we have for the last number of years, we reduced the programme to three days per week. We also added a dedicated Gymnastics Day on Mondays. Alongside these changes, we also made a commitment: to run camps no matter how many children were booked in. The idea was to give families the reassurance that sessions wouldn’t be cancelled at the last minute. This change was based directly on customer feedback - and it worked! Participation grew steadily throughout the holidays, with families telling us that the certainty helped them plan their summers with confidence.
Training -‘on the beat at Atlantis’
Our local police officers made Atlantis their base for their annual training days recently. This important work included both classroom learning and practical exercises in the Main Hall. It’s always great to see the building being used for such a wide range of purposes, helping to keep our community safe and connected.
Community Programme -‘Friday nights done right’
Every Friday evening during the summer holidays, we ran Family PlaySport Fridays. The new event provided a chance for families to try out activities like tennis (indoors or outdoors), squash, badminton, table tennis, and the ever-popular pickleball. Across five weeks of the programme, we averaged 33 people each Friday. The Centre was filled with fun, laughter, and friendly competition. To top it off, our friends at Solas Pizza teased our tastebuds with their setup just outside the main entrance, making Fridays a real highlight of the summer holidays.
Centre Life -‘know your building’
Summer also saw some important behind-the-scenes repair work:
- Proclad Roofing inspected and repaired sections of the roof, addressing potential causes of leaks. So far, so good! – with no new issues.
- Sportsafe visited us to repair the collapsed netting on the back pitch, restoring the correct height clearance.
- And, just in time for the school holidays, our beloved flume was fully serviced, ensuring it’s in top condition for summer fun.