Today the government has published Get Active, the new strategy for sport and physical activity from the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport aimed at tackling high levels of inactivity and establish lifelong habits of physical activity in England.
Get Active sets ambitious targets to get 2.5 million more adults and 1 million more children physically active in England by 2030. The strategy will establish a National Physical Activity Taskforce, co-chaired by former Harlequins, England and British & Irish Lions rugby union international Ugo Monye.
With an intention to work alongside the Department of Education’s commitment to equal and quality access to sport in March 2023 and the School Sport and Activity Action Plan published in July 2023, Get Active recognises the key role schools play in providing early opportunities for every child to play sport and be physically active. It further seeks to promote a strong network of sports clubs and greater confidence in sport and the sport’s sector.
In addition to its headline activity targets, Get Active also commits to making sport and physical activity more inclusive and welcoming to all. It also includes a call for evidence around sport integrity issues as well as supporting improved financial and environmental stability.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP stated:
‘This strategy focuses on the areas where government intervention is particularly needed, and shines a light on where the sector can do more. I want to create the right environment to allow the sector to flourish, so that it can play a crucial role in creating a more prosperous, happier and healthier country. That means public funding reaching those who need it most, a successful school sport system, facilities where communities need them, and ongoing reform to ensure sport and physical activity continues to thrive and is fit for the future.’
Responding to the publication of Get Active, Leadership Skills Foundation Chief Executive Richard Norman said:
“We will always welcome an ambition to create more opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to be active and ultimately to be healthier and more confident.
We are pleased to see that schools are recognised as playing a key role in any successful sport system and that the Get Active strategy acknowledges that sport and physical activity provides opportunities for young people to develop essential leadership and life skills. We believe this should be a right and expectation for all young people.
We were also pleased to see environmental sustainability stated as a priority within Get Active. We believe there is a huge role that sport and physical activity can play in a net-zero ambition and we are working with partners on this at the moment with announcements planned in the next few months.”
