By Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive
Tomorrow, millions of people across all ages and backgrounds in the UK will celebrate the joy of movement. They’ll move in schools, hospitals, care homes, businesses, parks, community halls, sports clubs, gyms, and leisure centres. They’ll move because of how it makes them feel, and the way it helps their physical, mental and social wellbeing. They’ll move as it provides value to their lives.
National Fitness Day provides an annual opportunity to shine a light on the importance of physical activity. But in an ideal world this would be something that happens 365 days a year. Your health is for life, so why shouldn’t this be a priority every single day? Surely it’s that important.
ukactive, and our members and partners, want to make this so. Sport, recreation and physical activity are woven into the fabric of our communities, positively impacting the lives of millions of people across the whole of the UK.
It has a world platform through elite and spectator sport, inspiring millions through the heroics of their sporting heroes, is a shop window for UK plc, and can inspire the next generation to follow the successes we’ve seen recently in Paris.
It brings together individuals, families, and communities with a common purpose in their local areas, providing connection in an ever-disconnected world, and generates pride in our local towns and the people we share them with.
It also supports the physical and mental wellbeing of people of all ages and backgrounds to both maintain good health and support recovery from poor health, allowing people to lead fulfilling lives at work and with their families and friends.
And as we start this new Parliament, has the full power of sport, recreation, and physical activity been fully harnessed in our nation? Sadly, no.
But can it be? 100% yes.
That is why the National Sectors Partner Group is united and unapologetic in calling for this new Parliament to match its ambition to make this country the most active in Europe. We are currently joint-11th among 15 comparable nations so there is much to do, and health is a good barometer of the state of the nation. If health has stopped improving, society has stopped improving.
This bold ambition meets the moment and both the economic and health challenges we face as a nation. What we ask of our new Government and this new Parliament is to co-create and co-deliver a plan that can begin delivering that ambition.
They must now meet our ambitions on the fullest role we can play to create healthier and happier children and young people, equipping them better for adulthood.
They must now meet our ambitions on how sport and physical activity can positively strengthen communities, running like a golden thread that can reverse isolation, disconnection and loneliness.
And they must now meet our ambitions on how we can take real pressure off the NHS by deploying the sector so it can help to reduce significantly those record levels of long-term sickness and waiting lists and help get people back to work. There can be no economic growth without health and our sector clearly has an essential role to play.
The exciting opportunity this parliament has is to unlock the full potential of this sector – something previous parliaments haven’t achieved. The return on investment will deliver results for multiple departments, across Westminster. The leadership in this sector is fully committed to this, and if the political will matches this, then there is a real opportunity for positive change, renewal and growth.
To find out more about National Fitness Day and get involved, visit the website here.
More People More Active More Often
