We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new chief executive as we get set to open our doors following the Covid-19 lockdown.

We have appointed Emma Walker to lead the organisation and continue our success of getting more local people more active more of the time.

With a proven track record in the sports and leisure industry, Emma is committed to driving the organisation forward to make a difference to local communities. She brings over 20 years of experience of delivering sports and leisure services with previous roles with Edinburgh Leisure and most recently, North Lanarkshire Leisure. Originally from Northern Ireland, Emma is a black belt in Judo and previously competing at international level representing her country three times at the Commonwealth Games.

Emma Walker, chief executive for Fife Sports and Leisure Trust said: “I have been an admirer of the work delivered by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust for some time so when the position came up, I was very keen to bring my experience to the organisation and to build on the great services and programmes it provides for the local community.

“Undoubtedly, the challenge of the Coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on my new role – working remotely and managing closed facilities were not something I anticipated. But, the team have been fantastic and I am working closely with them to deal with current issues such as preparing facilities for reopening in line with the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 route map, ensuring the safety of customers and staff.

“We are also facing the financial consequences of the lockdown and the impact it will inevitably have on the trust and I will be in discussions with our partner, Fife Council, to reinforce the importance long-term sustainable sports and leisure services for the health and wellbeing of local people, particularly as we face a national public health crisis.

“It is clear that the trust’s customers think very highly of its facilities and programmes and have displayed a fantastic amount of loyalty during the lockdown. A recent survey showed that 68 per cent of customers are keen to get back to our facilities and we are really going to need that level of support so that we can continue to reinvest into the local community and ensure a long-term future.”