THE John Masefield High School has taken on the sole management of Ledbury Leisure Centre, which is based at the school site and was run by Halo Leisure.

A joint use agreement expired this month, and Halo has stepped back after more than two decades at the helm, while the school has stepped forward.

School business manager, Wendy Bradbeer said: “For over twenty years the leisure centre based at the John Masefield High School has been managed by Halo Leisure under a joint use agreement with the school, the Sports Council and Herefordshire Council.

“The joint use agreement expired this autumn and school governors agreed to take over sole management responsibility for the centre.”

She added: “It has been a pleasure to work in partnership with the Halo team and they have all been very helpful during the handover period. We would also like to thank customers who have been very supportive during the transition and are working with the school to ensure their usage continues and expands.”

And there are positive changes.

Mrs Bradbeer said: “The school has recently invested over £9,000 resurfacing the sports hall floor and updating the basketball court markings. We are currently replacing the lighting in the squash courts to LED fittings which will improve the light. Last Saturday we held a community action event where volunteers all came together to clean the astroturf pitch and over three tonnes of silt and dirt was removed from the pitch. We would especially like to thank I G Hackley Plant Hire for their loan of a digger, ably driven by Mark Potter. The next stage of improvements is to bring in professional help to rejuvenate the pitch.”

Halo continues to deliver the facilities and activities - gym, swimming, group exercise classes - at Ledbury Swimming Pool, Lawnside Road.