Exercise in ownership: GLL reinvests and delivers measurable public benefit

GLL is the UK’s largest provider of public leisure and cultural services – operating more than 370 leisure centres, libraries, gyms, pools, sports facilities and children’s centres across the country. It is also the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise and a worker-owned co-operative.

At Kendal Leisure Centre in Cumbria, co-operative values are driving real-world health outcomes. Danii Vipond Houghton, GLL’s Community Health Manager for Westmorland and Furness, is at the heart of it. Through partnership with Age UK, the local authority, and the NHS North and South Cumbria trusts, Danii is helping people live longer, healthier and more independent lives.

Following the co-location of the NHS MSK department to Kendal Leisure Centre in 2022, Danii established the Healthwise Physical Activity Pathway for people living with pain, reduced mobility and other health conditions. These participants are referred through the NHS for ‘exercise on prescription’. The programme has grown from just 26 participants to over 630 in under two years.

The impact is significant. The NHS in Cumbria has reported a £150,000 saving on hospital admissions, while GLL has generated £3.4 million in social value in the region alone as a result of interventions like this. 

Nationally, GLL - a Partner Member of Co-operatives UK - generated £1.63 billion in social value in 2024, based on 59 million customer visits. According to the Social Value Calculator, every £1 spent returns approximately £4.60 in social value, reflecting GLL’s ability to deliver measurable public benefit. 

As a worker-owned co-operative, GLL reinvests all surpluses back into its services and communities – more than £100 million to date. Its GLL Sport Foundation, the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme, has supported 31,000 athletes since 2008, including Olympians and Paralympians such as Ellie Simmonds, Anthony Joshua and Tom Daley.

GLL runs more than 375 public facilities and delivers over 260,000 swimming lessons per week. Nearly half of all GLL members benefit from reduced-price memberships, helping to remove cost barriers, particularly in lower income and underrepresented communities.

At every level – from national strategy to life-changing local action – GLL is demonstrating that co-operative businesses don’t just do things differently. They do them better.