Your weekly physical activity bulletin

21 November 2023

We are working towards improving the health and wellbeing of the nation through sport, exercise and physical activity. For more information on our work visit our website or follow us on Twitter @NCSEM_PAnews

Health and fitness services remain at risk as gyms, swimming pools and leisure facilities report ongoing energy cost pressures

Nearly 40% (2 in 5) of leisure centres and other publicly operated fitness facilities are considering reducing services or closing sites entirely by March, due to ongoing high energy costs.

ukactive’s energy risk survey received responses from public sector operators across 164 council areas in the UK and from private sector operators representing a total of 801 sites.

It found that three quarters (75%) of private facilities are extremely likely to have to increase their customer pricing in the next six months, with 87.5% having already been forced to raise prices over the past year to cope with high operating costs. Continued price increases would not be a sustainable solution for businesses or for consumers.

Move and Groove wins prestigious international award

Move & Groove was a six week project aimed at intensifying the impact of music and movement on the wellbeing of children and older adults that took place in ten locations across the UK.

The project set out to combine the benefits of music and movement, whilst encouraging connection between generations to tackle some of the key issues impacting society today including loneliness, isolation, and anxiety. During the pilot, schools and care homes across England were paired together and staff from each setting were trained to run an intergenerational project. Following this, groups of school aged children visited care home settings where they joined residents for fun music and movement sessions which included singing, dancing and ball games.

At the end of the sessions the residents and young people got time to chat and get to know each other. The result was a resoundingly positive effect on the subjective wellbeing of both the care home residents and school children who participated.

New resource hub launched to help sport in Wales to reduce its environmental impact

Sport Wales, as part of the Sport Environment and Climate Coalition (SECC), has helped to develop a ‘one-stop-shop' of key resources to support the UK’s sport sector with its environmental sustainability.

The SECC Resource Hub, which is also available in Welsh, includes videos, articles and guides to support clubs and organisations across Wales and the UK, regardless of where they are on their sustainability journey.

Those in sport who want to take positive action can use this online tool to engage with sustainability issues and make meaningful change. You can learn how to start your club’s climate conversation, measure the carbon footprint of your organisation, and understand the scale of the challenge to sport and the role you can play in addressing these issues.

parkrun joins the Sport for Development Coalition

A global charity, parkrun’s mission is to improve health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on those who might be marginalised from opportunities to be active and socially connected. This aligns with numerous areas of #OpenGoal such as ‘improved health and wellbeing’, ‘stronger communities and social cohesion’ and ‘tackling health and societal inequalities’.

Currently, parkrun delivers over 2,200 parkrun and junior parkrun events in areas of open space across 22 countries around the world, with around 300,000 people taking part at these community-base events every single weekend.

GOGA resources to boost inclusive workforces across country

Get Out Get Active (GOGA) have released a collection of resources to address the fact that disabled people are underrepresented among people working in the sport and activity sector. 

Activity Alliance’s Annual Disability and Activity Survey found that only 22% of disabled people said they see ‘people like me’ working in sports and physical activity roles. The announcement is set to address this by creating more inclusive environments and opportunities. 

The newly released guidance will help organisations to support disabled people into the activity workforce. This includes steps to help individuals start their journey, as well as an inclusive leader profile. They are all based on our ‘Developing inclusive leaders in Haringey’ research findings, and will help to create more inclusive environments  

You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive it either via the SSEHS Active website or the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (East Midlands) website. Read our privacy policy.