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Our work in Burnley centres around a collaborative approach to building a healthier, more active future.

Our goals are a combination of highlighting Positive Climate Action, embedding the shared vision of #OutdoorTown, whilst ensuring we create and strengthen a network with a shared purpose and goal. Together, these initiatives form a comprehensive, long-term strategy to improve health and well-being across our community.

Areas of our work include:

(click on the box to find out more)

Strengthening the Network

connecting diverse partners to promote and embed physical activity

#OutdoorTown

Creating a culture that prioritises connecting communities to the outdoors

Positive Climate Action through Physical Activity

encouraging active lifestyles that lower carbon emissions and connect people with nature

Our journey so far…

First Beat the Street game starts

Beat the Street Burnley set out to increase levels of physical activity across the population and help address health inequalities.

Beat the Street – end of game report

Learn more about how Beat the Street has impacted individuals and communities by looking at data before and after the program, as well as case studies, personal stories, and digital results.

Active Burnley Forum

To maintain momentum and collaboratively sustain the impact of Beat the Street 2021 the Active Burnley Forum was formed, a proactive local network, coming together twice a year to focus on the development of key themes including, walking and cycling, community gardening and water based activities.

Beat the Street 2021 – 6 months on

Explore the key findings and insights from the Beat the Street 6-Month Follow-Up Report, highlighting the lasting impact on community health, physical activity, and engagement.

Data Co-op Engagement

Read about the member-owned co-op, established with the aim of encouraging physical activity by gathering community input through surveys collecting views, opinions and data sharing.

Beat the Street 2023 starts

Building on the success of the first game Beat the Streets returned to Burnley. Enhancing new collaborations and an aim to connect communities further to nature.

Beat the Street 2023 – end of game report

Learn more about how Beat the Street has further impacted individuals and communities.

#OutdoorTown Journey

This report highlights Burnley’s journey towards becoming an #OutdoorTown, showcasing the community’s growing unity and commitment to outdoor activity, and the positive impact of initiatives in driving long-term cultural and health changes.

Beat the Street 2023 – 6 months on

This report focuses on the post-game activities, highlighting the lasting impact through initiatives like tree planting, which engaged the community and schools in creating a sustainable legacy with over 7,500 trees planted across the borough.

#OutdoorTown Overview

An overview of the development of the #OutdoorTown vision with a focus on creating a sustainable 10-year plan for the town.

Trees for Cities

Read more about the impact of Burnley Tree Planting events, which increased volunteer participation, and boosted confidence and knowledge, while also raising awareness and engagement through trees earned via Beat the Street.

Limitless Town

Read more about how the partnership between organisations in Burnley have been creating inclusive cycling opportunities, wellness hubs, and active travel infrastructure to improve community health and wellbeing.

#Outdoor Town Vision

Read our report setting out how we will use outdoor spaces to improve health, wellbeing, and equality by making being active easy, attractive, and enjoyable through place-based collaboration.

Beat the Streets Impacts

View this visual snapshot, showing the impacts of Beat the Street 2025.

Beat the Street 2025 – end of game report

Learn more about how Beat the Street has further impacted individuals and communities.

Strengthening the Network

Strengthening the Network focuses on building a strong, collaborative network of local partners to promote physical activity across Burnley. By engaging with stakeholders from government, healthcare, education, non-profits, and businesses, the movement aims to create a comprehensive approach to improving community well-being. The workstream encourages collaboration to tailor interventions like infrastructure improvements and community events, while advocating for physical activity to be prioritised in policies across sectors, including healthcare and education. The Active Burnley forum seeks to foster a sustainable, community-wide shift towards greater physical activity through system leadership, trust-building, and a shared vision.

#OutdoorTown

#OutdoorTown is a shared vision and identity adopted by the borough of Burnley. Providing strategic direction, it is a movement based on collaboratively promoting the strengths of the town, creating a culture that prioritises connecting communities to the outdoors.

Creating an identity that is inclusive. #OutdoorTown widens the possibilities to addressing physical activity, health and wellbeing, culture and education, climate action and more. The evolution of #OutdoorTown is based on adopting a strength and place-based approach. It helps us to provide leadership across important strategic cross cutting themes that encourage collaboration. The vision is a collective and is something that everyone can be a part of and help develop. The #OutdoorTown vision will open its doors to the whole town, promoting activity, inclusivity, and behaviour change. It will help to prepare the place, make being active an easy option and enable activity to flow through the town.

Visit the #OutdoorTown website#OutdoorTown vision document

Positive Climate Action Through Physical Activity

This workstream aims to increase residents’ activity levels whilst connecting people with nature. It focuses on a place-based approach to align priorities and take shared responsibility of positive climate action.

The workstream encourages nature connectedness, increases environmental awareness, promotes sustainable behaviour and encourages pride of place, whilst enhancing mental and physical health and fostering a healthier society that values natural spaces.

We aim to achieve improved activity levels, through connection with outdoor spaces and raised awareness of opportunities. More active populations have lower per capita carbon emissions, highlighting the connection between healthier lifestyles and environmental sustainability.

““It’s great to see and it’s great that such a network exists and is able to help different partners in their priorities. The network has been successful in providing some value for everybody involved.””

Operations Manager, Burnley PCN

“I think the network is really supporting systems change. Keeping in touch with people and what's going on in different organisations. Once you start listening to some of the information they are sharing, you start thinking; we could do a bit of a joint initiative there and even get some more information from them about connecting with other authorities in East Lancashire”

Burnley Council manager

“Our collaboration with Burnley Leisure and Culture and TaAF provides a valuable resource to inform our clinical practices. Together, we identify appropriate services and solutions that enhance patient well-being, ensuring a seamless referral process for the benefit of our patients' health.”

Operations Manager PCN

To find out more about our work across Burnley please contact Cheryl Goodman, TaAF – Locality Lead, and Burnley Leisure and Culture – Head of Community & Wellbeing: cgoodman@blcgroup.co.uk