Welcome to the Cheshire West and Chester Leisure Community Interest Company – otherwise known as Brio Leisure

What is a Community Interest Company?

A Community Interest Company or CIC is a limited company with special additional features.

A CIC is a social enterprise which is managed to benefit the community. The company’s assets and profits are dedicated solely to its community purpose, rather than any form of private advantage.

The Cheshire West and Chester Leisure CIC is governed by a board of directors.

Bob has been a member of Cheshire West and Chester Council since the inception in April 2009 and prior to this he served on the Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council.

Since May 2009 Bob has served as the Chair of the Policy Development Board for Culture and Recreation and in more recent times as the Assistant Executive Member for Culture and Recreation. During this time he was closely associated with the transition of the three district councils to Cheshire West and Chester Council, as well as the recent formation of the new Community Interest Company.

Before his time as a Councillor, Bob served in the Royal Air Force for 30 years, followed by a return to civilian work in property and facility management. Bob is also a Director of the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum Trust.

Tony is a valued member of the Brio Leisure Team; working as a Lifeguard and Swim Teacher at Moss Farm Leisure Complex and also as a Casual Lifeguard and Swim Teacher at Northgate Arena. After recently qualifying as a Lifeguard Assessor, Tony now also delivers monthly training sessions for other lifeguards across our various swimming pools.

First qualifying as a Lifeguard in 1997, Tony has worked in various areas of the leisure industry including as a Lifeguard for Haven Holidays and as Holiday Representative on the island of Rhodes. Since then he has progressed his career, gaining further leisure related qualifications and working as a duty manager across various leisure sites in the North West and Wales, before finally joining the Brio Leisure Team.

Tony has a personal interest in various sports but particularly football and rugby. He also enjoys going to see live music and comedy in his spare time.

Sarah is the Dean of Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Chester. Her faculty has a proactive approach to community engagement, particularly in the area of encouraging sustained participation in sport from primary school to adulthood.

Sarah came to Chester in 1998 from Lancaster University. Following her PhD from Nottingham University, Sarah worked overseas in the USA and Australia.

Sarah has excellent experience having served as a trustee on the boards of three charitable foundations. She also has a personal interest in sport having taken part in a half marathon and playing for the Chester Croquet team.

Jackie is the Chief Executive of Sport Cheshire, the County Sports Partnership for Cheshire and Warrington.

Sport Cheshire, an independent charitable company, leads and coordinates a local network of agencies committed to working together to increase participation in sport and physical activity. This includes NGB’s, local authorities, sports clubs and education providers. Part funded by Sport England, Sport Cheshire delivers services for national governing bodies, programmes for young people and elements of the Places People Play – the mass participation sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Prior to joining Sport Cheshire in 2009, Jackie worked in Higher Education on a range of post graduate and under graduate sport related courses as both Head of Department and Programme Leader. Jackie’s career has also included working in local authority and undertaking freelance consultancy work.

Julie is the Interim Director of Public Health for NHS Western Cheshire.

NHS Western Cheshire is the body currently responsible for commissioning health services for the local population and ensuring local health services meet the needs of local people.

Having completed her Master’s in Public Health at the University of Liverpool in 1996, Julie then worked in the field of public health in Cheshire and Merseyside, focusing on work to reduce health inequalities.

Julie is also a registered generalist specialist on the UK Public Health Register.

Helen Williamson has a background in Corporate Responsibility and Social Regeneration gained over 18 years in East London and since 1998 in the North West. Helen established the Newham Board of the East London Business Alliance in 1989 developing volunteer schemes with companies and community projects and establishing business representative's involvement with regeneration schemes. Previous board experience includes Richard House, London's first Hospice for children and the London Regional Advisory Panel for the National Lottery Charities Board.

Helen was Deputy Coordinator for the Little Hulton and Farnworth SRB (Single Regeneration Budget) and has SRB and Neighbourhood Renewal consultancy work experience from the Wirral and Skelmersdale.

Helen continued CR project work in the North West with Business in the Community, working on their Seeing is Believing Programme, the senior business leader's Alumni and working with company volunteer schemes, including M & S Money and HBOS.

Helen and her family live in Northwich and she also teaches music.