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Sport and physical activity must be used to level up and tackle inequalities
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on activity levels throughout England, but has been most acute across disadvantaged groups and areas of high deprivation. Sport England’s latest Active Lives Adult Survey covers the period from mid-May 2020 to mid-May 2021, which includes periods of national and tiered restrictions introduced to counter the coronavirus pandemic. The survey period ends before all restrictions were eased in July. Compared to 12 months earlier, there were 700,000 (-1.9%) fewer active adults and 1 million (+2%) more inactive adults between midMay 2020 and mid-May 2021. While there are signs of recovery for activity levels as restrictions have eased, not all groups or demographics are affected or recovering at the same rate. Existing inequalities have been widened, with some groups hit much harder by the pandemic than others. This is the case for women, young people aged 16-34, over 75s, disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, and those from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds.
Those living in deprived areas and also those in urban areas found it harder to be active. Tackling these inequalities is already a focus and is a key feature of Sport England’s strategy, Uniting the Movement, and these results build an even more solid evidence base for why this work is needed and where resources and efforts should be focused. Sport and physical activity has a role to play in supporting economic recovery from the pandemic too. Existing research already shows that for every £1 spent on sport and physical activity, nearly £4 is generated for the English economy and society. Therefore, sport and physical activity can support the goal of levelling up communities and supporting the most disadvantaged people in society. Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s CEO, said: “This latest Active Lives research paints a stark but unsurprising picture of activity levels throughout England. The decline, which is right across the board, ties in with when coronavirus-related restrictions
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were introduced and access, opportunity and the capability to exercise were all massively curtailed. What is more concerning is that certain groups – those who have historically found it more difficult to access activity – were disproportionately impacted. And we know that once habits are broken, they are often harder to restart. “The good news is that through our work to sustain the sports and physical activity sector during the pandemic, combined with the research and analysis that underpins our 10-year strategy, Uniting the Movement, we understand the scale and nature of the challenge. Sport England’s absolute focus is using our resources, advocacy and network to target communities – places and people – where raising activity levels will have the greatest affect. It is clear that the benefits of activity don’t just manifest themselves physically; the mental health and wellbeing of people is boosted, communities become more cohesive, and the economic impact creates added value locally and nationally, as well helping individual employment prospects.
The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association and Partner ICL have revealed the five recipients of the sixth ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship ahead of the education programme’s return to in-person learning in January 2022. The successful BIGGA members are: Kevin Butler, greenkeeper, Saunton Golf Club; Michael Gibbons, greenkeeper, Dunham Forest Golf Club; Abigail Laker, greenkeeper, Frilford Heath Golf Club; Michael Russell, greenkeeper, Preston Golf Club; and Jeremy Ward, head greenkeeper, Bradford Moor Golf Club.
In addition, the five BIGGA members who participated in the ICL scholarship in 2021, when Continue to Learn took place entirely online, have also been invited to attend the in-person event in January 2022. To earn an ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship, BIGGA members must demonstrate a commitment to developing their own professional abilities by engaging with BIGGA’s Continuing Professional Development scheme
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“Sport England’s challenge now, working collaboratively with all our stakeholders, is to build on the work we have already started and ensure that sport and physical activity is central to tackling the inequalities in our communities, and create a movement that genuinely delivers for all.” Sport England
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