The Mildenhall Hub is an ambitious concept to provide public and voluntary services within shared facilities to cut costs and transform delivery by creating one single ‘Hub’.
Abbeycroft Leisure, Suffolk’s largest health and fitness provider, manages the Mildenhall Hub Leisure Centre, which includes a 45-station gym with cardio, resistance and functional training options.
On the partnership with Matrix Fitness, Matt Hickey, Health and Wellbeing Manager, Abbeycroft Leisure explains: “We have had a strong partnership with Matrix Fitness since 2009, we consider them much more than just an equipment supplier but rather as a trusted project partner.”
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the build project was delayed but with help from the Matrix Fitness team to facilitate a multi-site transfer of equipment, despite worldwide equipment shortage.
“Matrix Fitness were a huge help to us throughout this entire project.” Hickey adds. “Not only did they support us through Covid impact issues but they also guided us through design, layout and branding of the gym.”
The Matrix Fitness equipment installed included the brand new Performance Cardio range with touch consoles, items from the Ultra, Magnum and Versa strength ranges, a suite of CXC Indoor Cycles, medical products for the health team to utilise as well as the T3XH treadmill.
“As well as the many health and wellbeing benefits that the leisure centre offers the local community, we have worked with a range of health and disability groups so that our offering is diverse.” Hickey continued. “Again, Matrix Fitness helped us greatly with this, ensuring that we have a suitable range of medical-based equipment with multi-adjustable for better accessibility.”
“We would have no hesitation in recommending Matrix Fitness. The support they provide, their willingness to be flexible and their partnership approach were second to none, as are the people. I cannot stress this enough – people buy into people first, not products.”
The hub, a significant project in the Government’s national One Public Estate Programme, provides a space for education, health, leisure and council services, voluntary sector groups, a library, police and fire services as well as the potential for complimentary facilities to be added in the future.
Tim Grainger-Smith, Head of Sales – Regional at Matrix Fitness UK said: “It has been fantastic to continue our history of work with Abbeycroft Leisure on such an aspirational project, bringing services together to better serve the community.
As Matt already said, this wasn’t just about equipment installation, this was about creating a welcoming, motivating and engaging space from start to finish in order to promote better health and wellbeing to the community. And the feedback so far, from staff and members has been incredibly positive.”
To find out more visit www.acleisure.com/Mildenhall-hub or www.matrixfitness.co.uk
