Bradley Stoke businessman shortlisted for major regional award

Mark Crutchley, Chief Executive at Circadian Trust featMark Crutchley, Director of the Circadian Trust, a social enterprise that delivers sport and leisure facilities in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council, has been shortlisted for the Institute of Directors (IoD) South West regional Director of the Year Awards.

He will join others from around the region at an event next month that celebrates outstanding business people and focuses UK-wide attention on South West success.

Mark has been at the helm of the Circadian Trust since it was established just over ten years ago. Today it operates seven Active Leisure Centres in Bradley Stoke, Yate, Thornbury, Longwell Green, Kingswood, Patchway and Downend. In the last nine years the social enterprise has invested some £7m back into local facilities and delivered savings to the local authority. Today the centres offer activities ranging in diversity from studio cycling to tots judo to cardiac rehabilitation.

The Trust has been instrumental in many new community initiatives. A unique Active Partnership with the local authority has resulted in the development of a combined leisure and library membership. This year, with some Arts Council funding, this scheme has been extended to offer a free leisure and library Active membership to all new students at selected South Gloucestershire Schools. The scheme was not only launched at a time when literacy and childhood obesity are hot topics, it also helps support vulnerable children and adults by creating a mechanism for them to access their local leisure facilities.

Mark has been shortlisted in the Not for Profit/Third Sector category and the results will be announced on Thursday 9 June at Ashton Gate Stadium. If he is successful in his category, he will go forward for a chance to be a national award winner, judged against all the other regional finalists.

IoD South West chairman Nick Sturge said: “Once again we had an extremely high standard of entries demonstrating the breadth and depth of talent, enterprise and leadership across the region.  Against a backdrop of some political uncertainty, there is no lack of enthusiasm and innovation, continuing to hold up the region’s reputation as a place to do business. Great leadership is essential to steer an organisation forward and our award scheme looks for individuals who understand and fulfil their responsibilities as directors or trustees.”

The guest speaker at this year’s event is local entrepreneur Helena Hills, co-founder of True Start Coffee, creating a niche in the market for high performance coffee.

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