SANDWELL’S leisure chiefs are celebrating after being awarded the highest possible health and safety accolade – for the second year running.

Last year, Sandwell Leisure Trust landed the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) prestigious President's Award after 10 consecutive golds – the first leisure trust nationwide to achieve this distinction.

Having attained the same highest gold standard for health and safety performance this time out, they picked up the coveted award once again.

Council and trust officials were presented with the award during a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel last week, as the event marked its centenary year.

Lynda Bateman, chair of the SLT board, said: “SLT has an ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest level of health and safety as a top priority for all our customers and our staff.

“Consequently, we are delighted to have received the prestigious RoSPA President’s Award – 11 consecutive golds now – for sustaining this excellent health and safety record.

“The RoSPA Awards are the most prestigious in the world of occupational health and safety and one of the most sought after accolades by organisations from every sector, not just the leisure industry, so on behalf of all the SLT board, I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and commitment in maintaining this superior standard of Health and Safety for our service.”

As well as focusing on commitment to accident and ill-health prevention internationally, the awards also assess occupational health and safety management systems, including practices like leadership and workforce involvement across the globe.