It has been two years since Sport England launched the ambitious 10-year Uniting the Movement strategy that aims to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity.
The result of a major consultation with partners and the wider sport and physical activity sector, the new strategy represented a significant change in the way Sport England works and reflected a new understanding of what its role could and should be in helping people to engage with activity.
Initially focussed on helping grassroots sports clubs and physical activity providers recover from the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, Uniting the Movement is now primarily concerned with tackling the long-standing inequalities that make it much harder for some people to enjoy the benefits of being active than others.
Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “We could not have produced such an ambitious and transformational strategy without the involvement of the entire sector, and we won’t be able to succeed in our long-term aims without everyone involved in sport and physical activity in England playing their part.
"It’s clear there’s a shared and genuine desire to work together to create a happier, healthier nation and a united determination to tackle inequalities and provide opportunities to people and groups who’ve been left behind for too long.
“The pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge to community sport and activity in this country and, while the impact of Covid-19 is still being felt by many groups and organisations, there is plenty of optimism that through the changes we’ve made and by working together we can build on the progress of the last two years and bring about the change we all want.”
One of the biggest changes has been the creation of long-term partnerships with more than 120 influential organisations and revolutionised our investment model.
These partnerships include traditional allies such as the Football Association, The England and Wales Cricket Board and The Rugby Football Union but, crucially, also include long-term relationships with organisations such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, parkrun and Mencap, to help them contribute to tackling inequalities and support people to access the profound physical, mental and community benefits of sport and physical activity.
