Sport England recently announced its plans to tackle climate change with a new ‘Every Move – Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan’.
The strategy highlights how the places and spaces we use for sport and physical activity and our participation are threatened by the effects of climate change. It explains the steps we can take to help prevent the effects of climate change.
In light of this, we wanted to share what a few of our workstreams have been doing to utilise the green spaces in their places, to not only be more sustainable but also ensuring physical activity is accessible for all within those spaces.
Read the full report: ‘Every Move – Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan’ – May 2024
Green Social Prescribing: Connecting people to nature for better health
In Blackburn with Darwen, our ActiveBwD team are working to create better connections between people, community groups and agencies, in the form of green social prescribing. Though our TaAF approach, we are supporting our ActiveBwD team to integrate the health and wellbeing and social prescribing teams within Blackburn with Darwen to help more people engage in nature-based activities and improve their mental and physical health.
Green Social Prescribing is a powerful approach that encourages people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities, with the aim to improve both mental and physical well-being. At the heart of this practice are Social Prescribing Link Workers, who connect individuals with community groups and agencies.
In March, our ActiveBwD team brought together local partners from various backgrounds to unveil the Active Outdoors Hub in Witton Park. This included representatives from local authorities and organisations involved in physical activity within green and blue spaces.
Watch the short video below to get a feel of how the launch went on the day!
This hub, once a neglected cycle centre, is now a vibrant space where people can connect, explore, and benefit from the healing power of nature. Since the launch, the Hub has been used on a regular basis by a range of partners for delivery of sessions and support for clients.
Collaboration with Social Prescribers has been the key element for their recent success. By raising awareness about the services in Blackburn with Darwen and creating a robust signposting strategy, they have ensured that service users receive the right support through connected services.
Learn more about Green Social Prescribing
Let Me Move: Creating inclusivity for physical activity in outdoor spaces
Let Me Move is a collaboration between Together an Active Future (TaAF) and Activity Alliance, to better understand disabled peoples’ barriers to physical activity in outdoor places and spaces, and to co-design the solutions.
Research conducted in the Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey in 2022-23, tells us that disabled people are half as likely to see ‘people like me’ both playing and working in sport and activity and that they prefer being active in outdoor spaces.
By assembling a diverse group of individuals with lived experience, along with their allies, and through shared knowledge, the team aims to:
- Learn: By listening to each other’s experiences, they’ll gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by disabled people.
- Co-Design Solutions: Armed with this knowledge, they’ll work together to create practical, inclusive solutions that break down barriers and promote active lifestyles.
Read more about this workstream and meet the team behind this work here.
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