What is BAWA?

Chairman's Foreword - About BAWA

BAWA is a members' association that has been growing and developing since 1942. We are a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation offering healthcare and leisure services to our members with the aim of promoting good health and wellbeing. At present, BAWA boasts over 9000 members.

Rolls-Royce Plc, Airbus UK, BAE Systems and GKN Aerospace employees make up the traditional core of our membership however more and more employers have realised the benefits of offering BAWA membership to their staff and the list is growing considerably. We now include the likes of South Gloucestershire Council, North Bristol NHS Trust, MBDA and John Lewis Partnership employees amongst our members, to name but a few. This growth in the constituent company base is beneficial as it allows further enhancement to the services we offer all of our members.

Besides our provision of excellent healthcare cover, our extensive Leisure Centre complex hosts premier entertainment acts and we offer ever-improving Sports and Leisure facilities along with a superb Conference and Events centre.

Our website aims to help you find out exactly what BAWA has to offer and how our services can benefit you and/or your organisation.

Personal Message

“In my role as Chairman I aim to continue to improve and develop the facilities and services that BAWA offers its members and customers. Recently the Ballroom was refurbished to a very high standard and the Pavilion was redecorated from top to bottom. Looking ahead we are planning further improvements and later this year our fitness centre is to be extended by 33% and the quantity and quality of our exercise equipment improved.

I was delighted and proud when BAWA once again received national recognition at the annual Club Mirror awards ceremony. It was a testament to the dedication of all of the staff at the Leisure Centre for BAWA to win the Sports and Fitness Club of The Year award.

 

With regard to membership, the cost of our bargain Sports Membership option for Constituent Company employees is still just £1.50 per week for a sixth year offering BAWA membership at a truly remarkable price. Additionaly, in this current economic climate, we minimised the increase in the cost of other membership categories despite good increases the levels of our two most popular benefits, Spectacle and Dental. The Prize Draw is open to all BAWA members and remains ever popular with our biggest ever major prizes now being won, we are looking forward to its 50th anniversary this autumn and are already planning even better prizes in 2013.

 

Do have a look through this website to see all that we offer our members - you will be surprised!

 

I finish by thanking all of our staff for their invaluable contribution in making BAWA the officially recognised success that it is.”

Past, Present & Future

Sports ground at Filton with old Pavilion

The Bristol Aeroplane Company Welfare Association was founded by Sir G Stanley White in 1942 to provide a centralised service for sickness pay and sports and social activities for employees of the Bristol Aeroplane Company. The “Welfare” soon became a very integral part of life at the “BAC”.

In 1959 Bristol Aeroplane Company split to become the British Aircraft Corporation and Bristol Siddeley Engines. During the following years various divisions and takeovers occurred, with the Welfare Association remaining central throughout.

In 1973 the Bristol Aeroplane Company Welfare Association underwent a subtle name change to become the Bristol Aerospace Welfare Association and the acronym BAWA was born.

In 1992 the Bristol Aerospace Welfare Association had a further name change and became BAWA Healthcare and Leisure.

Today, the major companies which evolved from the former Bristol Aeroplane Company are Rolls-Royce plc, BAE Systems plc and Airbus UK. These companies are at the heart of BAWA Healthcare and Leisure’s membership and additionally we have members employed by our newer constituent companies. The conference and leisure facilities generate enough income to enable BAWA to continually enhance its services, hence the recent major refurbishments of the Ballroom, Pavilion and Fitness centre.

Members of the BAC drama club in a performance of "Burning Gold"

A policy is in place to ensure ongoing maintenance and development of the services and facilities at BAWA Healthcare and Leisure. This means that members will continue to receive the best value and the highest possible quality.

BAWA is exceptionally keen to support the local community. Every year many generous donations are made to a variety of local charities.