NEWS 

A government-funded initiative providing free meals, activities, and childcare during school holidays for children from low-income families, delivered by Trilogy Active will welcome up to 2,500 children and young people through its doors this summer. 

 

As a health and wellbeing trust, Trilogy Active operates Brackmills Fitness Club, Cripps Recreation Centre, and Duston Sports Centre in Northampton, Belper Leisure Centre in Derbyshire and Berzerk Active Play Centres in Atherstone, Northampton, Derby and Birmingham. 

 

The award-winning trust will this summer deliver the Holiday Activities and Food Programme in partnership with Northamptonshire Sport, Amber Valley School Sports Partnership, Derby City Council and Warwickshire County Council across the Midlands. 

 

“We are delighted to be welcoming up to 2,500 children and young people into our Leisure and Berzerk Active Play centres during this year’s school summer holidays as part of our commitment to delivering the important and influential HAF programme.” said John Fletcher, Managing Director of Trilogy Active. 

 

HAF ensures that disadvantaged children, young people and families have access to healthy food and enriching activities throughout their school holidays. To qualify a family needs to receive benefits related free school meals. 

 

“This crucial funding means that across our centres across the Midlands, we are able to empower children and young people to be more active during the school holidays, take part in engaging and enriching activities and to be safe and not isolated.” 

 

Since 2022, the HAF programme has provided 15.6 million HAF days to children and young people in the UK. 

 

Across the 2023 to 2024 academic year, almost 5 million HAF days were provided during winter, Easter, and summer delivery. 

 

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In May, Trilogy Active is marking Mental Health Awareness Week, an annual, UK-focused campaign to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote better mental wellbeing. 

 

“As a leading health and well-being provider across the Midlands, here at Trilogy Active we want to play our part in raising the profile and encouraging open conversations about mental health.” said John Fletcher, Managing Director of Trilogy Active. 

 

“There is no doubt that being active and keeping fit is fundamental to everyone’s mental health.” he continued. “Exercise reduces stress, it improves sleep and raises our levels of ‘happy’ hormones. That is why during this important awareness week we want to ensure we play our part in raising awareness of everyone’s mental health.” 

 

At all the Berzerk active play centres, sessions will cost just £2 on Monday 11 May 2026 if children wear something green, the official colour of mental health awareness. 

 

“We want to give the opportunity to our young users to turn our play frames in to a sea of green!” said John Fletcher. “Our very own Barney Bear is already picking out his favourite green accessories and can’t wait to see families come along for a day of fun and supporting mental health charities in their work.” 

 

With Berzerk centres in Northampton, Derby, Birmingham and Atherstone, Trilogy Active is spearheading the national importance of active play for children and their families. 

 

“We believe and promote the active play environment which stimulates brain function, development and physical literacy. It is a place where children build skills and traits such as confidence, resilience, self-esteem, and independence, all of which are fundamental foundations of good mental health.” 

 

Trilogy Active are also placing mental health awareness at the heart of their swimming lessons on Monday 11 May 2026 as part of the Swimming Teachers Association (STA) Learn to Swim programme. 

 

“The Trilogy Swim school works with the STA to integrate mental health support into swimming lessons through specialized wellbeing resources and fostering confidence in, and out of, the water.” John Fletcher from Trilogy Active said. “Our swim teachers are fully STA trained and they use initiatives including mindfulness to manage any water anxieties, and all designed to improve mental wellbeing for all ages.” 

 

“During this important week the Trilogy Active swim programme will highlight the holistic development of our swimmers, as we aim to boost confidence and resilience and not just physical technique.” 

 

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Trilogy Active, who owns and operates Berzerk Active Play Atherstone, has welcomed Rachel Taylor, Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth through its doors. 

 

Berzerk Active Play in Atherstone is owned and managed by Trilogy Active, a not-for-profit organisation. They also operate Cripps Recreation Centre and Duston Sports Centre in Northampton, Belper Leisure Centre in Derbyshire and Berzerk Active Play Centres in Northampton, Derby, Birmingham as well as Atherstone. 

 

“We were delighted to welcome Rachel to Berzerk Active Play Atherstone and show her our great centre in the heart of the town.” said John Fletcher, the Managing Director of Trilogy Active. “We believe, support, promote and deliver evidence based active play that we know benefits the cognitive, social and physical development of children across Atherstone and the whole of the UK.” 

 

Berzerk Active Play Atherstone is open every day of the week and as well and being the home of large playframes, electric go-karts, drop slides, a football pitch and basketball court. 

 

“Evidence shows that the active play environment promotes and stimulates brain function, development and physical literacy.” John Fletcher continued. “That is why we invited the local Member of Parliament as we wanted her to fully understand its importance on the children and families that she represents.” 

 

“I was very pleased to meet with the team from Berzerk Atherstone and to see children and families from across the town using their excellent facilities.” said Rachel Taylor, Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth. “It was great to see such a vibrant and positive atmosphere where the active play environment is being used to encourage children to build their confidence, their self-esteem and their independence.” 

 

“I look forward to continuing to work with and support this not for profit organisation and to ensure the importance of active play for children, their families and the local community is raised in Parliament.” 

 

Trilogy Active works in partnership with Local Authorities, the NHS and Universities in the communities that they serve. 

 

Berzerk Active Play Atherstone, as with other Trilogy Active centres, also delivers the HAF scheme, a government-funded initiative providing free meals, activities, and childcare during school holidays for children from low-income families. 

 

“It was encouraging to hear of Rachel’s support our work and for the benefits of Active Play.” John Fletched said. “Together we will continue to deliver, support and promote this evidenced based approach to our work and we will continue to work alongside local and national decision makers as a fundamental part of the health and well-being of children of the UK.” 

 

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The Play Hub Active Play centre in Atherstone has officially begun life under the new management of national active play experts Trilogy Active and its Berzerk Active Play brand. 

 

“At Trilogy Active we believe, support, promote and deliver evidence based Active Play that benefits the cognitive, social and physical development of children across the UK.” said Managing Director of Trilogy Active John Fletcher. “Therefore, we are delighted to be the new owners of The Play Hub and to have the opportunity to continue delivering its greatly valued services to the local Atherstone community.” 

 

As a not-for-profit organisation Trilogy Active operates Active Play facilities across the Midlands with venues in Northampton, Derby and Birmingham under the Berzerk Active Play brand. They work in partnership and deliver services for Local Authorities, the NHS and Universities in the communities that they serve. 

 

The Play Hub, which will shortly be rebranded to Berzerk, is open 7 days a week is home to a large playframe area packed with entertainment, separate play areas for toddlers and a number of slides and a sports arena with an astro turf football and basketball pitch. 

 

“As owners and operators of Berzerk Active Play Centres in Northampton, Birmingham and Derby, we believe and promote the active play environment which stimulates brain function, development and physical literacy.” John Fletcher continued. “The Play Hub is also a place where children build skills and traits such as confidence, resilience, self-esteem, independence and where they develop gross motor development and fine motor development skills.” 

 

Under the new management of Trilogy Active the popular centre will see a programme of maintenance and infrastructure improvements take place across the rest of 2025 and into 2026. 

 

“Our work with children and families across Atherstone will ensure that we can continue to deliver, support and promote the evidence-based benefits of Active Play, in both structured and ‘just play’ environments, to the community that we serve.” 

Trilogy Active, who owns and operates Berzerk Active Play at Moulton Park in the town welcomed Mike Reader, the Member of Parliament for Northampton South, through their doors last week. 

 

Trilogy Active operates Cripps Recreation Centre, Danes Camp, Duston Sports Centre, Lings Forum, The Mounts Baths and the Forum Cinema as well as Berzerk Active Play Centres in Northampton, Derby and Birmingham and Belper Leisure Centre in the Midlands. 

 

“We believe, support, promote and deliver evidenced based active play that benefits the cognitive, social and physical development of children across Northampton and the U.K.” said Managing Director of Trilogy Active John Fletcher. 

 

“We’re breaking down the out-dated stereotypes that ‘soft’ play used to have and we’re sharing our work with decision makers like Mike to ensure the real difference active play can make in the health of the nation’s children.” 

 

As a not-for-profit organisation Trilogy Active operates Active Play facilities across the Midlands with venues in Northampton, Derby and Birmingham. They work in partnership and deliver services for Local Authorities, the NHS and Universities in the communities that they serve. 

 

“I was pleased to be invited to Berzerk Active Play centre and hear about the great work that John Fletcher and his team deliver for children and families across Northampton and the East Midlands.” said Mike Reader, Member of Parliament for Northampton South. “Active Play benefits the cognitive, social and physical development of children and Trilogy Active are delivering great work and highlighting the real difference this makes.” 

 

“I look forward to working in partnership with the team at Trilogy Active and Berzerk to highlight the importance of active play and its positive impact on the development of children in Parliament and on a national level.” 

 

Trilogy Active are members of national lobby group Play England who believe and promote in a child’s ‘Freedom to play.’ 

 

Play England campaign for England to be a child-friendly country where all children and young people have freedom to play at home, at school, in parks and public spaces. 

 

They believe all children and young people should have freedom — time, space, permission and opportunity — to play indoors and outdoors and everyone is aware of the importance of play. 

 

During the visit Mike Reader heard about the work of Trilogy Active and its Berzerk Active Play centres across the East Midlands including in Birmingham and Derby. 

 

The Member of Parliament also discussed the importance of raising the profile of active play in Westminster to ensure the Government recognises its vital role in the future health and well-being of the nation’s children. 

 

As part of their commitment to the community that they serve, Trilogy Active delivers specialist and dedicated Active Play S.E.N.D sessions and the Holiday and Activities and Food Programme (HAF) for families in receipt of free school meals through holiday periods at its Active Play Centres. 

 

“We will continue to deliver, support and promote the evidence-based benefits of Active Play, in both structured and ‘just play’ environments, to the community that we serve.” John Fletcher continued. “We will continue to work alongside local and national decision makers as a fundamental part of the health and well-being of children in the UK.”