45 YEARS ON.

And just getting started

WellNation attended the annual EVOLVE event in London in June. As well as providing the backdrop for the launch of the landmark State of the Fitness Industry Report , this year’s event marked a significant rebrand for the sector’s leading insights company, Evolve (LeisureDB)

More than 300 leaders from across the UK’s fitness, leisure, health and physical activity sectors gathered beneath the iconic vaulted ceiling of London’s Porchester Hall on 4 June for EVOLVE 2026, an event that celebrated 45 years of industry insight while looking confidently towards the future. The occasion marked several significant milestones. It celebrated the 45-year journey of Leisure DB, launched the 20th edition of the State of the UK Fitness Industry Report and introduced EVOLVE, a new identity reflecting the organisation’s growing role in research, strategic insight, events and industry collaboration.

Hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies, Emma Barry, EVOLVE 2026 brought together a mix of operators, suppliers, investors, partners and industry leaders, sitting side by side in a room designed not simply for presentations, but for collaboration. Throughout the day, ideas were challenged, perspectives were shared and conversations sparked around one central theme: “Are we creating healthier communities, or more competition?”. It was a reminder that meaningful change happens when every part of the sector comes together with a shared purpose.

CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY

Opening the event, EVOLVE Chair, David Turner, reflected on almost five decades of change across the fitness industry. Drawing on his experience from the commercial health club sector through to boardroom leadership and strategic consultancy, Turner highlighted an industry that has continually reinvented itself, embracing new technologies, responding to changing consumer expectations and increasingly positioning itself at the heart of preventative health.

In conversation with Emma Barry, the discussion explored what separates organisations that genuinely evolve from those that simply follow trends. Leadership, adaptability and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking emerged as defining characteristics for future success. The conversation set the tone for an afternoon focused not on looking back with nostalgia, but on using experience to shape what comes next.

THE POWER OF LOOKING AHEAD Emma Barry then welcomed Leisure DB Founder David Minton to the stage for a fascinating conversation exploring the origins of market intelligence in the fitness and leisure sector.

Long before demographic profiling, catchment analysis and artificial intelligence became everyday language, Minton was demonstrating how data could help organisations make better strategic decisions. His pioneering work transformed the way operators, investors and local authorities understood markets, placing evidence at the centre of planning and investment.

Reflecting on 45 years of technological change, the discussion highlighted that while the tools available today are almost unrecognisable from those of the early 1980s, the fundamental principle remains unchanged: understand people, understand communities and make decisions based on insight rather than assumption. As the conversation concluded, delegates watched a specially commissioned five-minute film celebrating Leisure DB’s remarkable journey.

A NEW CHAPTER

Rather than simply a new name or visual identity, the launch of EVOLVE marks the next stage for an organisation that has continually evolved alongside the sector it serves. Chief Operating Officer, Heidi Blackburn, has led much of that transformation behind the scenes, helping reshape the organisation, challenge established thinking and guide the transition from Leisure DB to EVOLVE while preserving the values that have underpinned the business for more than four decades.

Looking ahead, Chief Strategy Officer Glen Thurgood outlined how an enhanced digital and data capability will strengthen EVOLVE’s research, strategic insight and support for the sector, ensuring the organisation remains at the forefront of evidence-led decision making for years to come.

REDEFINING HEALTH

If the opening sessions celebrated the past, the next challenged delegates to think differently about the future. Fresh from the launch of her new book, Art Cure, Professor Daisy Fancourt, one of the world’s leading researchers into the relationship between creativity, movement and human health, delivered a compelling keynote that encouraged delegates to broaden their understanding of wellbeing. Drawing on internationally recognised research, she explored the growing evidence linking creativity, social connection and physical activity to improved mental and physical health, highlighting the important role they can all play in prevention and healthier communities.

For a room filled with fi tness and leisure professionals, it was a timely reminder that the sector has an opportunity to become a far greater contributor to public health by working alongside healthcare, education, culture and community organisations.

The keynote resonated strongly with delegates, reinforcing one of the central themes of EVOLVE 2026: creating healthier communities requires a broader understanding of health itself.

As Emma Barry remarked in closing the session, Art Cure should be essential reading for anyone interested in the future of health, wellbeing and prevention, a sentiment echoed by many delegates as discussions continued long after the presentation had ended.

The keynote resonated strongly with delegates, reinforcing one of the central themes of EVOLVE 2026: creating healthier communities requires a broader understanding of health itself

BEYOND REPS: EXPANDING THE CONVERSATION Building on the themes introduced by Professor Fancourt, the afternoon continued with one of the day’s most anticipated sessions, Beyond Reps. Moving beyond traditional discussions of exercise, performance and physical activity, the panel explored the future relationship between fi tness, healthcare, behavioural science and human potential.

Emma Barry stepped from her role as Mistress of Ceremonies to join the panel, bringing her global perspective alongside Dr Glenda Rivoallan, Dr Samir Kapoor and Pete Cohen. Chaired by Glen Thurgood. Together, the panel challenged delegates to think differently about the role of the fitness and leisure sector. Rather than simply providing places for people to exercise, the discussion explored how operators can become trusted partners in prevention, behaviour change and long-term health outcomes.

The conversation reinforced many of the themes introduced by Professor Fancourt, highlighting the growing importance of collaboration between fi tness, healthcare, education and community organisations. It also encouraged delegates to look beyond traditional measures of success, considering how the sector can create meaningful and lasting improvements in people’s lives.

Thought-provoking, insightful and often challenging, Beyond Reps perfectly reflected the ambition of EVOLVE 2026: to broaden the conversation and inspire the industry to think beyond today’s challenges towards tomorrow’s opportunities.

Forty-five years after Leisure DB first began helping the sector understand where it was, EVOLVE is helping it understand where it can go next

TECHNOLOGY THAT ENABLES BETTER BUSINESS Bringing a fresh burst of energy to the stage, Darin Adams from Thryv shifted the focus towards one of the biggest challenges facing operators today: creating a seamless customer journey in an increasingly digital world.

Demonstrating how connected technology can help businesses get found online, convert more enquiries into customers and build stronger long-term relationships, Adams highlighted how operators can simplify marketing, communication and customer management without becoming full-time marketers themselves.

His energetic and engaging presentation reinforced another key theme of EVOLVE 2026: that technology works best not when it replaces people, but when it enables businesses to spend more time doing what they do best, delivering exceptional experiences for their communities.

HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES OR MORE COMPETITION? The afternoon also featured a lively strategic partner panel, bringing together leaders from EGYM, Les Mills, Matrix, Alliance Leisure, Ashbourne and PSLT to explore one of the day’s central questions: “Are we creating healthier communities, or simply more competition?” Drawing on perspectives from technology, facility design, programming, public leisure and business operations, the discussion highlighted the importance of collaboration, innovation and shared purpose in shaping the future of the sector.

STOPPING TO THINK

Bringing EVOLVE 2026 to a fitting close, Pete Cohen delivered a powerful and highly interactive keynote that challenged delegates to pause, reflect and consider the role they each play in shaping the future of the industry.

Rather than standing alone as the keynote speaker, Cohen cleverly turned the spotlight onto the audience, describing them as the real keynote of the day. Using Slido to invite live responses from across the room, delegates became active participants rather than passive listeners, creating an engaging and thought-provoking conclusion that gave everyone a voice.

Drawing on themes of leadership, purpose and human potential, Cohen encouraged the audience to stop, think and reflect on the conversations that had unfolded throughout the afternoon. His interactive approach transformed the session into a collective discussion, reinforcing the idea that the future of the industry will not be shaped by a single organisation or individual, but by the shared ideas, experiences and ambitions of those in the room.

As the final responses appeared on screen and delegates prepared to continue conversations over drinks and canapés, there was a genuine sense that EVOLVE 2026 had achieved exactly what it had set out to do. It had celebrated 45 years of industry leadership while creating the space to challenge assumptions, share ideas and inspire the next chapter.

As delegates left Porchester Hall, many carrying the newly launched 20th edition of the State of the UK Fitness Industry Report – produced in partnership with WellNation – alongside a carefully curated goody bag packed with partner gifts, the conversations continued well beyond the auditorium. It was a reminder that EVOLVE is more than an annual conference. It is a catalyst for collaboration, innovation and evidence-led thinking.

“Forty-five years after Leisure DB first began helping the sector understand where it was, EVOLVE is helping it understand where it can go next,” Heidi Blackburn said. “Judging by the discussions that filled Porchester Hall throughout the day, that journey is only just beginning.”