In September, Leisure-net will be undertaking our 3rd National call-Focus survey, using over 100 mystery calls to operators to monitor how good operators are at handling membership enquiries. If you would like your sites to be included email Sarah Foulkes at sarahfoulkes@leisure-net.org

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The 9th annual Health and Fitness Omnibus Survey (HAFOS) will take place in September, tracking public attitudes towards health, fitness and physical activity. 
 
The research, carried out by customer insight specialist Leisure-net Solutions, is supported by sporta, whose members will be providing the locations for the interviews, and the Chief Leisure Officers Association (CLOA) who will providing input and advice into the questions to be asked. The survey will be sampling more than 2,000 consumers across 10 locations in the UK. 
 
Craig McAteer, Chair of sporta, which represents more than 120 cultural and leisure trusts across the UK, said: "In order to increase physical activity levels it's essential that operators understand the barriers stopping people from making simple changes to their lifestyles, and the HAFOS research has proved instrumental in helping us to this."  
 
David Albutt, Policy Officer of CLOA added: "CLOA supports the emerging self-improvement strategy for Cultural Services, Passion for Excellence, and recognises that data and analysis are urgently required in the culture and sport sector in order to support this strategy. We've supported HAFOS for the past 3 years and are delighted that we've now been asked to advise on the content. We welcome the response of the sporta in terms of providing locations for this year's survey and look forward to valuable insight that will help us all to improve our services." 
 
The survey will take place in and around 10 local authority areas where sporta members run leisure facilities. The results will be published in early November.

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Councils in Northern Ireland recognise that they are a little behind England in terms of benchmarking and working together on an improvement and efficiency strategy. They have therefore used Leisure-net Solutions to support them in getting up to speed, Leisure-net Solutions being in a unique position to advise, having been deeply involved in these agenda through relationships with sporta, IDeA and several clients. Leisure-net Solutions has managed a day's workshop to shape the strategy and has already begun the process through a first assignment for North Down Council.

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The research, conducted in conjunction with Sport England, combined Leisure-net's industry benchmark street-Focus non user survey with Sport England's new Market Segmentation model.  
 
The research involved a 1000 sample non user street survey carried out on the streets of Southampton, but they the results were taken and cross tabulated against the information Sport England have for the local area in terms of their Market Segmentation groups. This involves using information from The Active People Survey and Taking Part, plus data from Experian and profiling people by post code into 1 of 19 "groups". Each group has a name to symbolise its particular profile, so for example in Southampton the 4 dominant groups are 02 Jamie (Sports Team Drinkers), 06 Tim (Settling Down Males), 09 Kev (Pub League Team Mates) and 10 Paula (Stretched Single Mums). 

Provided by Mike Hill

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Leisure-net Solutions' Director, David Albutt, has been appointed as the Policy Officer for the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA), which represents strategic leaders in public sector cultural and leisure services.  
 
Leisure-net has also won the contract to act as the association's administration company. The support will help to improve member services and allow the CLOA, which has been in existence for more than 30 years, to concentrate on its core objectives: working with central government and other national organisations to influence the development of national policies, lobby for positive change and provide a peer-support network. 
 
As Policy Officer, David Albutt will lead meetings with government at both national and regional levels, work with Non-Departmental Public Bodies, represent CLOA and advise its membership through the Executive Committee. 
 
Ann Gosse, Chair of CLOA and Director of Cultural Services at Sheffield City Council said: "Leisure-net Solutions was selected to carry out the policy role and day-to-day operations on CLOA's behalf based on the company's knowledge of the sector and reputation among their clients. These are exciting times for CLOA and I am sure that Leisure-net's support will prove invaluable."  
 
Mike Hill, Managing Director of Leisure-net said: "CLOA's key resource is its very busy membership and we intend to improve member services, as well as helping the membership to deliver further on their combined potential." 
 
Leisure-net is now looking for additional sponsors to support the work of the association alongside Pulse and Craftsman Quality Lockers. Anyone wishing to sponsor CLOA should contact Sarah Foulkes at Leisure-net on 01603 814233 or email sarahfoulkes@leisure-net.org. 
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Editor's note: 
CLOA represents strategic managers in local authorities and non-profit distributing trusts, as well as those working in associated areas such as health, education and social sectors, who are committed to the development of public sector culture and leisure.  
 
Leisure-Net Solutions is the leading provider of Customer Insight, Business Intelligence and e-Health services to the leisure, health and fitness industries. Leisure-Net works helps leading industry organisations, local authorities and Trusts, as well as private sector operators and suppliers, to understand their customers' and clients' needs and aspirations, and to deliver innovative service and health improvement initiatives.
Provided by Abigail Harris
Email abigail@bigfishpublicrelations.co.uk

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The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) has revealed initial findings from ground-breaking research carried out on its behalf by Leisure-net Solutions on the size of the UK fitness industry.  
 
Commissioned in part to assess the penetration of REPs' membership on the industry the research first looked at defining the parameters of the industry before calculation how many people work within it as exercise professionals.  
 
For the purposes of the research, Leisure-net Solutions identified exercise professionals as those working either full-time or part-time and who would be eligible to join the Register.  
 
It covered those professionals working in the following:  
? Private health/fitness centre  
? Public health/fitness centres including charities such as the YMCA  
? Higher and Further Education centres  
? Corporate / hotel  
? Self employed /freelance group exercise instructors and personal trainers  
? Military personnel 
 
In summary, the research showed that the fitness industry currently employs an estimated 46,199 individuals.  
 
With membership of the Register topping 26, 257 members (based on 31 March 2008) this would suggest a penetration of around 57 per cent.  
 
The survey was based on practicing exercise professionals and did not include other workers such as reception, operational services, marketing personnel, etc.  
 
However taking into account other factors including:  
? The numbers of professionals just entering or leaving the market at any one time to whom membership of REPs would probably not be relevant  
? The numbers of professionals that while arguably eligible for REPs would not consider joining as it would not be relevant to their own job role e.g. some of the military personnel  
? The issue of double counting some professionals who work for multiple employers or themselves and employers  
gives a revised figure of 36,959 as the "likely total market" for REPs members giving it a penetration rate of 71 per cent.  
 
Registrar Cliff Collins said: "This research is really the first of its kind to be done and we are grateful to all the team at Leisure-net Solutions for doing such a great job on it.  
 
"It's great to see that the Register has made such an impact in such a short amount of time and we hope to be able to use the rest of the research to ensure we meet the needs of the remaining 29 per cent of fitness professionals who we're not currently reaching."

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Leisure-net is working with Sport England and the 7 CSPs in the South West Region to evaluate their on line presence. The evaluation will include technical assessments of all sites, stakeholder interviews and some public consultation.
Provided by Mike Hill
Email mikehill@leisure-net.org

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DC Leisure has commissioned Leisure-net to carry out a 2nd year of Customer Insight across 60 of its largest sites. The process will include mystery shops and calls, as well as a staff survey and a client survey.
Provided by Mike Hill
Email mikehill@leisure-net.org

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The second NASS was commissioned by UCS and BUSA in a continued attempt to establish some national benchmarks for student activity levels, usage of facilities and representaton at competitive levels. Data from over 100 HE establishments was collected, along with individual surveys from over 30,000 students across the country, making this the biggest ever survey of its kind.  
 
The report will be published in March 2008.

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The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) has announced that they will work with Leisure-net Solutions Ltd on the 2008 Flame Awards. This is the sixth year in a row that the FIA will use Leisure-net's unique research and analysis services to help to choose the winners.  
 
Full details of the awards can be found on the FIA website at www.fia.org.uk
Reference www.fia.org.uk

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The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) has formed a Data Forum to review and rationalise the growing body of data released by various primary research agencies.  
According to the FIA, the health and fitness sector is a maturing industry in which an increasing amount of data is being generated - creating a risk of crossover and even misinterpretation  
The new initiative aims to bring together all the key research agencies operating in the sector to maintain a level of strategic understanding and identify shortfalls, gaps and potential areas for confusion.  
Nigel Wallace, chair of the FIA Data Forum, says: "The demand for accurate industry data and information has never been so great or so critical - from the government and the City to investors and internal bodies, the sector has really been put under the microscope.  
"It is therefore vital that the research, irrespective of the originator, is accurate and disseminated in a manner that allows effective and consistent interpretation."  
The forum sees Leisure-net joined by long-time associates The Leisure Database Company, together with Deloitte and Tarp to openly debate current and future plans for industry research.

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