Business profiles
Luke Sutton |
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 You might think that a professional cricket career would be enough to satisfy any sports enthusiast, but as Sian McWilliams finds out, an active lifestyle can also allow for a great business opportunity.
Despite playing cricket for Lancashire Cricket Club, Luke Sutton was eager to use his talent for a greater good when he started his business, Activate Sport, five years ago. The company is a leading nationwide provider of sports, activity and adventure holiday camps for children aged 5–17 years. “Our motto is 'Inspiring an Active Lifestyle' and that is genuinely what we try and encourage in children,” says Luke, who is the Company Director. Both Luke and his business partner had personal experience of working on sports camps abroad and have developed their business on the popular American-style model of summer camps, with an aim to bring the outdoor lifestyle to children in the UK. The camps operate during school holidays but also offer some evening and weekend groups. There really is a wide range of activities on offer; a typical day at camp could see you starting out the day with a treasure hunt followed by a mid-morning bungee run and perhaps a dodgeball tournament to finish – all before teatime! They also offer specialised sports camps, designed by professional athletes and delivered by qualified instructors. As Luke says: “We aim to include anything that will get kids active and enjoying themselves.” With all this to choose from, it’s not surprising the business has grown so quickly. Starting with only one week-long camp in its first year, 2010 will see over two hundred camps in operation nationwide. Activate now manages a number of high-profile projects, such as the Lee Westwood Golf Academy, the International Netball roadshow and the Matt Dawson Rugby League camp (new for 2009). The company also oversees the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy, with the help of Luke’s team-mate at Lancashire, ‘Freddy’ Flintoff himself; and with Fred and company regular visitors to the camps, you never know who might pop in! The camps could soon be making way for two new members since the arrival of Luke’s twin babies to the house he shares with his wife in West Didsbury. Having his own children adds to his motivation to provide the right structure for developing active kids, and he finds that having a business outside his cricket career provides a good sense of balance in his life. The greatest reward is knowing that the camps are now a part of so many children’s summer holidays and something they look forward to all year round. So whether your child is set to be the next David Beckham or simply fancies a week of Gladior games and Zorb ball (with celebrity appearances to boot!), Activate really does have something for everyone. Activate Sport www.activatesport.co.uk
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