"People at Elmbridge really are helpful and welcoming", so says Paul Nanji, our Leisure and Cultural Services Manager. Sounds like a cliché or something we would say on LinkedIn, but it is true – Paul says so and who are we to argue?!
Paul joined us in 2020 during the pandemic and working from home. Much has been talked and written about the drawbacks of starting a new role while working from home, but communication is the key to a successful induction no matter where you place your laptop. The Leisure and Cultural Services team around Paul made sure he was included in the organisation from day one – meetings, introductions, a clear plan for induction, they embraced technology and embraced the need to make Paul feel part of the team as quickly as possible – and it worked!
Here we are in 2023 and Paul and his team remain true to those early communications principles to do their best for the residents of Elmbridge, and Paul is particularly focused on making sure our leisure facilities are used by the whole community. Working with partners across healthcare, the charity sector, social prescribing and our own community support service team, he is bringing the physical and mental health benefits of exercise, sport, movement classes and active recreation to the whole community.
Our leisure facilities in Elmbridge (Xcel Leisure Complex, Xcel Sports Hub and Hurst Pool) attract over one million visits per year, but Paul knows he can get that figure higher. How will he achieve that? Communication, a can-do attitude and embracing partnership working inside and outside the council. Will he do it – absolutely!