One of the UK’s leading franchise providers of children’s physical activity, Sports Xtra, has relocated its company headquarters to Cardiff.

Established in 2002 and owned by the UK Sports Innovation Group, Sports Xtra was previously headquartered in Stevenage. It is a tier-two member of the British Franchise Association and now operates 30 franchises across England and Wales with a turnover in excess of £1.5 million.

With some 60 staff in Wales and over 350 across the UK, Sports Xtra is led by 32 year old Rob Oyston (pictured, left) who is one of four key stake holders. A former PE teacher at Corpus Christi RC High School, Oyston merged Regional Sports Schools, the Cardiff-based business he and Alex Lock (pictured, right) started together, with Sports Xtra in 2011.

Appointed as Managing Director in September, he comments: “We are passionate about providing opportunities for all young people to enjoy physical activity and our aim is to ensure that every child enjoys a positive experience. The relocation to Cardiff is an extremely exciting move as we commit to further develop our successful franchise model across the UK.”

Advised by Capital Wales, the inward investment partnership for South East Wales, Sports Xtra works with over 100,000 children aged 3-11 years each week delivering a mix of after school and holiday club activities. The company also provide their expertise to primary schools on the delivery of their PE curriculum.

David Ludlow of Capital Wales added: “Our purpose is to increase the number of jobs created in the region by providing free help and support to businesses who are considering or are in the process of relocating. It has been a pleasure to assist Sports Xtra with their relocation to the area and we wish them every success with their future growth.”

Published: 1 March 2013

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