Horizon Leisure Centres in Havant and Waterlooville mark 25th anniversary

Horizon Leisure Centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1997, the centres in Havant and Waterlooville have evolved, starting out as just a small swimming pool and now both offering a vast range of health and wellbeing facilities, including a fully-kitted-out gym, two 25m swimming pools, children’s play areas, cafes, sports halls and creches.

Throughout the last two and a half decades, Horizon became a staple in the community, providing health and wellbeing for thousands of people of all walks of life throughout the area and beyond.

Although the centres have seen lots of changes over the last 25 years, there are some things that have stuck with them since the very first day, such as 59-year-old Jacqui Borg, who started using the council-run swimming pool in Havant before Horizon took over and has been a member since.

Jacqui, from Havant is a competitive swimmer and first joined to use the pool to train, with it only being five minutes from her house.

She has used the pool every day since and has now gained an even stronger love for exercise.

She said: ‘It started with just swimming and then became circuit training, then body balance and I fell in love with doing classes, which gave me another dimension of fitness and exercise. I’m massively passionate about fitness and health and I definitely think that being a member has not only improved my fitness but has made me a better swimmer.

‘Everyone works so hard and the team is so lovely, I’m very grateful for the work that they do to keep it running.’

Before the Horizon Leisure trust – the charity which runs and operates both centres – took over the council-run building in Havant, it was just a small swimming pool with no other facilities.

In 1997 the trust took over management and the centres evolved into what they are today.

Paul Murdoch started his career at the swimming pool in Havant, before Horizon took over.

He has since worked his way up through various roles and is now a senior duty manager.

He said: ‘When I first started, it was just a small swimming pool in Havant alone. Through the years it has changed massively, and I’ve seen the whole spectrum of it, but the biggest change is around the customers. It’s more customer-focussed than ever and everyone really strives to provide more and more for the members.

‘I’ve made some amazing friends over the years and ones which I’ll keep with me into retirement. I’m due to retire in two years but the job is so fulfilling I’m considering keeping a part-time role.’

New chief executive Mike Lyons said: ‘It’s not widely-known that Horizon is a charity. All of the revenue we generate is put back into the centres to constantly improve and evolve our offering. We go above and beyond in what we do and want to ensure that each and every one of our members gets an experience that they are not only satisfied with, but that they will remember. It really is community first here and we can’t wait to keep serving the community for the next 25 years.’