First, 53 Place Expansion Partnerships Announced

We're extending our work in communities nationwide to ensure those in greatest need can be active.

We’ve announced 53 new places we’re expanding our work into, to address regional inequalities in activity levels across England.

Each place is in the top 10% of the country for inactivity, social need, deprivation and health inequality at a national level, according to the data from our latest Active Lives Adult Survey and Place Needs Classification Tool.

Today's announcement builds upon our £250 million investment in the heart of communities across England, designed to enable those in greatest need to be active.

With less than half of children meeting the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines for daily physical activity and women, people from lower socio-economic groups and Black and Asian people still less likely to be active than other adults, inequalities in activity levels could hurt the country in the long term, according to our chair Chris Boardman.

“Health inequalities have become embedded in our communities, with rising inactivity amongst children a particular worry,” Chris said.

“Inactive kids are more likely to be inactive adults and more at risk of developing chronic illness that costs the NHS and our economy; it’s a ticking timebomb for the long-term health and wealth of the country. We must address it urgently.

“Physical activity is rightly described by health experts as the ‘miracle cure’. It's not only part of the solution for the physical, mental and social health problems facing our communities; it's also pivotal to getting the economy moving.”

Our latest Active Lives surveys show that affluence and activity levels are closely linked: over a third of adults (34%) are inactive in England’s most deprived places, compared to 20% in the least deprived.

Less than half of adults (49%) are active in the less affluent areas of Barking and Dagenham, while over three-quarters (79%) of adults are active in affluent Brighton and Hove.

Children from lower-income families have lower rates of activity than those from wealthier families; local authority data reveals that in Richmond on Thames, nearly two-thirds of children and young people are active (62%) – but in Thurrock, an area of high social need, it’s just over a third (34%).

Chief executive's reaction

"It is unacceptable that for many children and adults, their postcode, background and income dictate how active and healthy they can be – even affecting how long they might live.

"Inequality in activity levels damages health and undermines growth; we want to end the postcode lottery for physical activity.

"Uniting the Movement’s mission is to make sure we all have the opportunity to lead an active life, which is essential for the growth agenda too. 

"Sport and physical activity are not just good for health; they are acts of economic contribution." Tim Hollingsworth Chief executive, Sport England

Working in partnership with communities

To tackle inactivity in the 53 new places, we’re taking a place-based approach – partnering with local organisations and leaders who understand both the specific needs of their communities and the local assets that are available to support people to play sports and get active. 

We're expanding this approach predominantly with and through our network of Active Partnerships. They are our local system partner and are connected to the local systems and stakeholders for each of these places. We simply couldn’t do this without them.

Place-based working takes a bespoke approach to each area, identifying the major barriers to activity that each place facesand working to dismantle them. For example:

• Active Madrassahs in Pennine Lancashire enable over 5,000 Muslim children to lead a more active life through embedding physical activity into Madrassah learning sessions;

• Using activities like football and walking to integrate refugees into the community in Calderdale;

• Using physical activity to rehabilitate patients in South Tees to improve their chances of recovery after surgery.

We’ve been testing this community-based approach since 2018, with data from pilot areas demonstrating that its investments are making a positive contribution towards reducing inactivity. 

Local impact reports indicate that in Calderdale, inactivity has reduced by 7% among children and young people and 4% among adults; in Doncaster, inactivity has reduced by 12% among children and young people and 2.5% among adults. 

Children and young people in Greater Manchester now report inactivity levels that are lower than the national average. In Withernsea, inactivity has reduced by over a quarter (29%) for people with disabilities.

Our Executive Director of Place, Lisa Dodd-Mayne, further explained the advantages of place-based working and why a new approach was needed.

“We’re proud to announce our partnerships with 53 new places today,” she said. “Where you live has a direct impact on how active you can be, which is why a ‘whole-system’ approach to a place is the most comprehensive way to tackle inactivity.

“Each place is its ecosystem, and we look at the local spaces (like parks, woodland, leisure centres and community halls) that are available in that ecosystem. 

“We then partner with local organisations (such as NHS trusts, councils, faith groups and grassroots sports clubs) to create opportunities for the community to get active.  

“From embedding Active Design into housing plans in Exeter to gentle dance classes for older people in Doncaster to help them rehabilitate after a fall to football clubs for isolated men in Blackburn – our Place work is as varied as the communities that we’re working for. 

“And every active adult and child represents money saved for our health and care system, reduced pressure on the NHS and a healthier workforce – delivering growth through health.

“We have learned that we cannot solve the problem with the same mindset that created it. We have to do things differently, recognising that progress moves at the speed of trust.

“That means being stubborn on the vision for the place, but flexible on how they get there, and finding the organisations that have the right reach. They are there, but you need to look for them.”

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