Colleagues at Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre are celebrating after it achieved an ‘excellent’ score following a two-day assessment.

The high-achieving rating came after a rigorous Quest Plus Assessment, run by Right Directions and Leisure-net Solutions for Sport England.

Core modules evaluated during the assessment included operational management, customer experience, environmental management, compliance, and team management.

Steve Cox, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said: "We are delighted with the outcome of the Quest assessment and believe it is a testament to the hard work of centre colleagues.

"To be recognised for not only operational excellence but the positive impact our centre has makes us really proud.

"We are committed to providing quality facilities for all ages, abilities and interests, and hope the local community can feel confident knowing their leisure centre has this added stamp of credibility."

The leisure centre, which is operated by nationwide provider Everyone Active in conjunction with Dacorum Borough Council, was evaluated through both a mystery visit and formal assessment.

Standout areas for the popular site included lifeguarding, team management, sales and retention, and plans for future enhancement.

Key initiatives which led to commendation included the implementation of inbuilt motion sensors for lights and a combined heat and power unit for onsite electricity generation.