Everyone Active has got the New Year off to a flying start as it begins work on the brand new Rainham Leisure Centre.

Yesterday, four-time Olympic Medallist, Rebecca Adlington, alongside fellow Olympian and Director of ReCreation, Adrian Turner, joined Councillor Viddy Persaud, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure and Everyone Active to make the first cut of earth at the Rainham Recreation Ground.

The new facility is being delivered by Havering Council in partnership with Everyone Active, who manages the council’s leisure centres on its behalf.

The building will be a state-of-the-art design offering a range of facilities including a dance and spinning studio, 72-station fitness suite and six-lane swimming pool.

Following the ground-breaking ceremony, Adlington visited local school children at Rainham Village Primary School for a Q and A session.

She commented: “A centre like this is so important for the local community, not just as a way of staying healthy through exercise but also as a place for people of all ages to meet and socialise.

“Thousands of children will also have the opportunity to learn to swim here for decades to come, which is a vital skill that could save their life. And, who knows, one day a future Olympian might be discovered here, too!”

ReCreation, part of Olympian-led Sporting House Group, will manage the design and build of the new facility. The company uses innovative, modern methods of construction to give more communities across the country access to their own recreational space.

Tom Fletcher, Area Contract Manager at Everyone Active, commented: “This is the first step towards welcoming the local community to our new centre. This continued investment from the council will ensure we can enhance our leisure offering and continue to engage people from all backgrounds in exercise.

“We will continue to work hard with Havering Council and our build partners to ensure that every aspect of the refurbishment is completed to the highest quality.

“We’re delighted to be able to continue improving the lives and wellbeing of people in Havering and the surrounding areas.”

Adrian Turner, Director at ReCreation, added: “With two thousand council pools at risk of closure across the UK by 2030, we’re excited to be bringing a brand-new, future-proof leisure facility to the people of Havering.

“Leisure centres are a vital part of any community, offering a place for children to learn to swim and for local residents to maintain a healthier lifestyle for generations to come.”

Rainham Leisure Centre is part of a huge investment in leisure and sports facilities across the borough by the Council and follows the opening of Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre early last year.”

Councillor Viddy Persaud, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “We were delighted to welcome Rebecca to Rainham to join us and Everyone Active, in marking this first big milestone in the building of what will be a fantastic new facility for not only the community in Rainham, but for the borough.

“This will be an excellent new leisure centre to meet all local needs and I’m extremely proud that unlike many other councils, we’ve been able to invest in our leisure centres, which are very important to both our physical and mental health.”