This summer, Achieve Lifestyle is proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone. 50 years of community leisure, sport and wellbeing.
On Saturday 1st August, Egham Orbit will open its doors for a special 50th Anniversary Open Day, bringing together the local community with free activities, sports, swimming, fitness sessions, family entertainment and a look back at five decades of memories.
While today’s Egham Orbit is a modern leisure destination, its story began in 1976, when Egham Sports Centre first opened its doors to the community.
Where It All Began
The centre was originally developed at a time when local authorities across the country were investing in public leisure facilities to encourage healthier, more active communities.
When the doors first opened in 1976, the centre looked very different to the facility visitors know today. Originally known as Egham Sports Centre, it consisted of a single sports hall, reception, changing rooms and an upstairs licensed bar and social area.
One of the people there from the very beginning was Gwyn, who joined the team as a receptionist when the centre first opened.
“I saw an advert in the local paper for a receptionist. I applied, got the job, and was there from when it opened in 1976”
During her 43 years at the centre, Gwyn witnessed every major stage of its development.
“We literally started with the sports hall, changing rooms and the bar upstairs.”
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Growing with the Community
As participation in leisure activities increased, so too did the centre.
Within a couple of years, four squash courts had been added as the sport surged in popularity across the UK. New activities such as karate, judo, fencing, table tennis and Keep Fit classes attracted people of all ages, while local sports clubs quickly made the centre their home.
Over the following years, additional sports halls, dance studios, fitness facilities, outdoor pitches, a creche and soft play were gradually introduced.
Rather than being built all at once, the centre evolved alongside the community it served.
By the 1980s and 1990s, the centre had become far more than simply a place to exercise. It was a social hub where sports teams gathered after matches, children learned new skills, friendships were formed and generations of local families spent time together.
As the centre expanded beyond its original sporting focus, it became known as Egham Leisure Centre, reflecting its broader offer of fitness, recreation and community activities.
A New Chapter
By the early 2000s, after more than three decades of continual growth and expansion, the ageing building was becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and no longer met the expectations of a modern leisure facility.
Recognising the importance of preserving leisure provision for future generations, Runnymede Borough Council committed to replacing the ageing centre with an entirely new facility.
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The Formation of Achieve Lifestyle
While plans for the new leisure centre were taking shape, another important chapter was beginning.
In 2010, Achieve Lifestyle was established as an independent charitable leisure trust, with responsibility for managing the borough’s leisure facilities on behalf of Runnymede Borough Council.
The trust officially began operating Egham Leisure Centre in 2011, introducing a model where any financial surplus would be reinvested directly back into the facilities, programmes and services for the local community to enjoy.
Since then, Achieve Lifestyle has continued to develop its offer, expanding opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to become more active, healthier and connected.
Today, the trust manages Egham Orbit, ensuring community leisure remains at the heart of the borough.
The Arrival of Egham Orbit
In February 2019, the next chapter in the site’s history began with the opening of Egham Orbit.
Replacing the original Egham Leisure Centre, the new £20 million facility introduced a public swimming pool, learner pool, splash zone, state-of-the-art gym, luxurious spa, group exercise studios, sports arena, soft play and modern accessible facilities.
Although almost every aspect of the building changed, the purpose remained the same as it had been in 1976: providing opportunities for local people to improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Looking back over more than four decades, Gwyn believes that one thing has never changed.
“It has always been about the community.”
Celebrating 50 Years
This year’s anniversary is not simply a celebration of a building. It is a celebration of the thousands of people who have shaped its story over the past fifty years.
From the staff who welcomed the first visitors through the doors of Egham Sports Centre in 1976, to the volunteers, instructors, coaches, clubs, members and families who continue to fill Egham Orbit with life today, every generation has played a part in creating the centre we know today.
The 50th Anniversary Open Day offers an opportunity to reflect on that journey, celebrating the memories that have been made and look ahead to the next chapter in the site’s history.
Whether you remember booking squash courts at Egham Sports Centre, exercising at Egham Leisure Centre or swimming, training and relaxing at Egham Orbit today, one thing has remained constant for half a century:
A commitment to helping our community move, connect with others and achieve their health and wellness goals.
One of the people there from the very beginning was Gwyn, who joined the team as a receptionist when the centre first opened.
Over the following years, additional sports halls, dance studios, fitness facilities, outdoor pitches, a creche and soft play were gradually introduced.
