Horizon Leisure Appoints Community Inclusion Officer to Enhance Access to Physical Activity
Charitable trust, Horizon Leisure, has appointed Juliet Bowskill as its Community Inclusion Officer to enhance community engagement and ensure equitable access to physical activity across the Borough. A new strategic role for the charity, this key appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process and demonstrates Horizon Leisure’s commitment to addressing health inequalities and barriers to participation in physical activity.
In her part-time role, Bowskill will work in direct partnership with Havant Borough Council to support the implementation of its five-year Havant Active Wellbeing Strategy, which aims to reimagine how residents incorporate movement into their daily lives.
This appointment aligns with Horizon’s broader mission to support community wellbeing and reflects the charitable trust’s understanding that addressing physical inactivity requires tackling interconnected health, economic and environmental inequalities.
“We recognise that while many in our community enjoy active, healthy lifestyles, these opportunities aren’t equally accessible to all,” says Mike Lyons, CEO at Horizon Leisure. “Juliet’s appointment represents our commitment to understanding and addressing the barriers that prevent some members of our community from engaging with our services.
“Having served as a trustee at Horizon Leisure for the last two years, Juliet is uniquely positioned to take on the Community Inclusion role, bringing both organisational insight and personal experience as a passionate advocate for inclusion and SEND children through her own parenting journey.”
In her role, Juliet will develop outreach strategies to engage underrepresented community members, organise inclusive events and workshops, and collaborate with family centres, schools and local organisations and charities, including Community First and affordable housing partnerships.
She will also oversee Horizon Leisure’s Community Discount Card, which offers a 40% discount on a range of leisure activities, both reviewing and implementing new qualifying criteria to improve accessibility.
Juliet Bowskill says: “Physical activity isn’t just about fitness, it’s connected to improved learning, workplace productivity, mental wellbeing and social interaction, and I’m excited to work with our community partners to create pathways that make these benefits accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.”
For more information about Horizon Leisure’s community initiatives or to connect with Juliet, please contact: jbowskill@horizonlc.com
