The Rink

Our weekend family fun starts today!

We are open for the following sessions this weekend:

Saturday 3rd: 12pm-2pm and 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Sunday 4th: 3pm - 5pm

Book online here: www.therink.co.uk/book-online

"THE COST OF DIVISION"

Unfortunately, our roller rink will NOT open Friday 2nd October as normal. (WE MUST CONFIRM ALL OUR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SESSIONS THIS WEEKEND WILL GO AHEAD AS NORMAL)

This is not a decision we have taken lightly.

Every Friday night, we welcome families and young people from across all our communities to come together, have fun and enjoy our roller disco in a safe, shared environment.

Tonight, however, we have experienced a significant wave of cancellations from families who simply do not feel comfortable going out because of the current uncertainty and tensions within our local communities.

That has left us with no option but to close for the evening.

And that is why we feel we have to say the following, please share this message so our politicians hear the call.

"
Dear Stormont,

Our society needs stable political leadership.

Families, businesses, charities and community organisations are already navigating enormous financial pressures. At a time when people need accessible local services and safe community spaces more than ever, organisations across the third sector are facing extraordinary challenges.

Our own charity-run social enterprise is approximately 90% self-sustaining. We work incredibly hard to generate the income required to keep our doors open while providing services and activities for people from all backgrounds in a safe, welcoming and shared environment.

But organisations like ours cannot operate in isolation from what is happening around us.

Week after week, we see established voluntary, charitable and community organisations struggling to survive or closing their doors altogether. The contribution these organisations make to communities across Northern Ireland should never be underestimated.

Tonight, the wider uncertainty within our community has reached our doors too.

A Friday night that should have been filled with music, families, laughter and roller skating will instead see our rink sitting empty.

Whatever people's political views, communities need stability, leadership and confidence.

Division has a cost.

Tonight, for us, that cost is a closed roller rink, lost income and families missing out on something that should simply have been a safe and enjoyable Friday night together.

We look forward to welcome everyone back through our doors tomorrow (Sat 3rd).

Thank you, as always, for supporting us and for supporting community organisations like ours. ❤️

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE, HOPEFULLY POLITICIANS WILL SEE IT.

**CUSTOMER NOTICE**

Our session today Sunday 20th is fully booked and we cannot accept any walkin today. Thank you for your support!

Saturday skating 12:30-2:30 today :)

Customer Reminder: No skating today (Thursday 20th) we are back open tomorrow (Friday 21st) as normal

We were very sorry to hear the news that **High Rise in Lisburn has closed this week, it was an excellent social enterprise and provided great services for all**.

As a fellow organisation operating within the leisure and social enterprise sector, we recognise just how challenging the current environment is!

Our thoughts are particularly with the staff who have been affected by the closure and now find themselves unexpectedly looking for new opportunities.

We wanted to make those affected aware that **The Rink Sports Arena in Portadown is currently recruiting for a full-time Venue Manager.**

We're looking for someone with strong experience in **hospitality, leisure, visitor attractions, events, retail or another customer-focused environment** who can lead our team and take responsibility for the day-to-day operation of our venue.

**Venue Manager – The Rink Sports Arena**
📍 Portadown
⏰ Full-time – 37.5 hours per week
💷 £30,000 per annum

We may also have opportunities for **part-time team members**, so we would be happy to hear from anyone affected by the closure who would like to enquire about potential part-time work with us.

If you have been affected by the closure of High Rise and feel your experience could be a good fit for The Rink, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

And if you know someone who may be interested, we'd really appreciate you sharing this with them.

👉 **Venue Manager:** www.therink.co.uk/jobs/
👉 **Part-time opportunities:** Please contact us directly to register your interest.

– Project Update

It is with great disappointment that we have learned that Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council has decided not to progress Powered By Sport's proposal to redevelop the former Craigavon Leisure Centre through the Community Asset Transfer process.

Naturally, we are extremely disappointed by this decision and know that many within the local community who shared our vision for bringing The Rec back into use as a vibrant hub for sport, wellbeing, urban activity and community life will feel the same.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who supported our proposal, completed our community consultation, provided letters of support, attended meetings, shared ideas and believed in what we were trying to achieve.

Your support for has been incredible.

We are continuing to engage with those involved in the process to better understand how the decision was reached and will provide a further update when we have more information.

Thank you for believing in our vision for The Rec and for the incredible support you have shown Powered By Sport throughout this process.

🚨 **WE'RE HIRING – VENUE MANAGER** 🚨

Are you an experienced leader who thrives in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment?

We're looking for a **full-time Venue Manager** to lead our fantastic team at **The Rink Sports Arena, Portadown**.

This is more than just a management role. You'll lead from the front, inspire your team, maintain high standards and help create unforgettable experiences for thousands of visitors every year.

**What we're looking for:**
✅ Proven management experience
✅ A passion for delivering exceptional customer service
✅ Experience leading and developing teams
✅ A hands-= on approach and willingness to get involved in every aspect of the venue
✅ Hospitality, leisure, retail or venue management experience (sports experience is **not** essential)

**What we offer:**
📍 Full-Time – 37.5 hours per week
💷 £30,000 per annum
📅 Paid annual leave
📈 The opportunity to lead one of Northern Ireland's most unique family entertainment venues

If you're someone who enjoys building great teams, maintaining high standards and making a real difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.

👉 **Apply now:** https://therink.co.uk/jobs/

Please like, share and tag anyone who you think would be a great fit!

☀️ Why the sunshine is brilliant... but not for us! 😅

Don't get us wrong...

We LOVE seeing everyone enjoying the sunshine. 🌞

The beaches are packed.

The parks are full.

The BBQs are sizzling.

The kids are outside having a ball....and that's exactly how summer should be.

But here's the downside.

When the sun comes out, indoor attractions like The Rink become much quieter.

In fact, this has been one of our quietest Julys in years.

So instead of asking for donations, we've come up with a way that helps everyone.

🛼 Introducing our Back The Rink Skate Packs

Buy your skating now, save money, and use your sessions anytime over the next 12 months.

🎟️ 4 Sessions – £25

🎟️ 8 Sessions – £48

🎟️ 12 Sessions – £69

Whether you use them next week, during the October holidays or over Christmas, every Skate Pack purchased helps keep The Rink rolling through the quieter summer months.

❤️ If you've ever visited The Rink, we'd love you to back us by grabbing a Skate Pack or simply sharing this post.

👉 Buy yours here:
https://therink.co.uk/gift-vouchers/

Gift Vouchers – The Rink Sports Arena & Multipurpose Centre