At TaAF, we believe that changing the system starts with listening, learning and working together differently. When people with lived experience are part of the conversation, real change happens – because they help us see what’s possible and what needs to shift.

That’s exactly what happened when the Canal & River Trust teamed up with our Let Me Move Accessibility Advocates to understand some of the barriers to accessing and exploring the waterways safely and confidently. The conversation has since grown to shape their new Accessible Routes project – proving how collaboration can open up new ways of thinking and help more people enjoy moving in their own way.

Hear from Vicki Birch at Canal and River Trust:

“

Collaborating through an inclusion lens and alongside colleagues with lived experience of disability has been invaluable in helping us challenge our own thinking.  

The idea for the Canal & River Trust’s Accessible Routes project began with a simple conversation between Joe and me at the Active Burnley Forum, led by Together an Active Future (TaAF). Joe, who uses an all-terrain wheelchair and is part of TaAF’s Lived Experience Advisory Group, shared his experiences of wheeling along the canal and the barriers he regularly encounters. Many of these were gates originally installed to stop motorbikes, but as Joe pointed out, some are now broken or have alternative access points right beside them, meaning they no longer serve their purpose and instead create unnecessary obstacles for people using mobility aids. 

We talked about the challenges the Trust faces as a landowner, finding the right balance between keeping people safe and managing antisocial behaviour such as motorbikes on towpaths, while also wanting to open up access and remove barriers that limit independence. I suggested that we start by identifying which routes are already accessible and promote those locally. 

That initial conversation has since grown into the Sport England funded Accessible Routes project, a national piece of work designed to help people plan their visits in advance and feel confident exploring the waterways. The project focuses on providing clear pre visitor information and activation, highlighting routes that are already accessible and identifying where improvements could make the greatest difference. It also aims to improve signage and wayfinding so that people can move along the network safely and independently. 

Now preparing to be piloted in three key Trust (and Sport England) priority areas (Pennine Lancs, Bootle Sefton, and Black Country), the project continues to be shaped by people with lived experience like Joe and the wider lived experience advisory group.  

The insight we’ve got from working with the Let Me Move team has been invaluable in helping us challenge our own thinking and ensure that the waterways can be enjoyed by everyone, safely, confidently, and independently.  

“

Vicki Birch
Strategic Programme Manager (Communities and Participation)
Canal and River Trust

Read more about the work the TaAF Let Me Move team have been doing here

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Rossendale Leisure Trust has been awarded “Park Venue of the Year” by Tennis Lancashire, thanks to the success of their Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions at Whitaker Park. But this isn’t just about an award, it’s about what it represents: a shift in how opportunities for physical activity are created, delivered, and sustained.

These weekly sessions, which run every Saturday morning, have welcomed over 500 participants since launching in the summer of 2024. They’re completely free, open to all ages and abilities, and most importantly, owned by the community.

Led TaAF leads at Rossendale Leisure Trust who work on shared roles with TaAF and a local LTA Tennis Activator, the sessions have been designed with sustainability at their core.

Key to the project is the journey of Tahira Parveen, who started as a participant, completed the free LTA Activator course, and is now helping to lead the sessions. Tahira’s participation reflects on the importance of community-driven leadership, supported by the leisure trust to create shared ownership of the project. Through training up members of the community to lead, they’re building a model that lasts.

As Phillip Holden, Rossendale Leisure Trust Operations Manager, says:

“We are thrilled to receive this award! It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, especially Mark and Tahira, and the wonderful community who come along every Saturday. Our sessions are all about making tennis fun and accessible for everyone, and this award validates our efforts.”

Mark Walsh, LTA Tennis Activator:

“It’s fantastic to see the positive impact these free sessions have on the community. This award is a fantastic recognition of the collaborative effort to make this happen.”

The project is part of the wider work the team are doing around creating more active parks and spaces. Along with their volunteer-led Junior ParkRuns, Yoga in the Parks, tennis sessions, health walks and more they are creating a movement across the borough to allow communities to lead on physical activity initiatives in a way that feels meaningful and fun for them.

We’re pleased to see this recognition for Rossendale Leisure Trust and the team behind the sessions. It reflects the kind of sustainable, community-led approach that’s central to long-term change. This is just one example of how shifting systems and building local capacity can open up access to physical activity in a way that lasts.

For more information about the great work the Rossendale TaAF team are doing visit their website 

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One of the first campaign storytellers I met was Bob, a local resident living with a heart condition who stays active by riding his electric bike. My gut feeling was that Bob’s story might not resonate with people living in the more deprived wards of the borough, those most affected by health inequalities. However, relying on gut instinct alone, should not be the only approach, especially when utilising public funds and designing a campaign to meet the needs of local communities. I felt we needed evidence to support our understanding of the borough and effectively shape the campaign.

Attending the BwD Comms, Insight, and Engagement meeting organised by the ICB proved extremely beneficial. Informing the group of the forthcoming campaign and the potential challenges we faced opened up new avenues of collaboration. Following this meeting, the CEO of Healthwatch BwD generously shared profiles for every ward in the borough, providing qualitative insights and deepening our understanding of the challenges faced by the residents.

Additionally, our council’s public health data analyst supplied a comprehensive health profile spreadsheet and met with us to explain the data. We simplified all of this data and insight to support us with campaign delivery, by creating a RAG table that prioritised wards, their most prevalent health conditions, demographic information and local storytellers.

This table guided our campaign delivery. It determined which adverts were shared where, which storytellers would feature on specific bus stops and billboards, who we’d target on social media, which posters to print, and which stories to advertise in magazines. This data-driven approach at ward-level helped to make the campaign more relatable and successful, as it reflected the needs of our residents.

Furthermore, we utilised data and insights from the We Are Undefeatable ‘Bridging the Gap’ report (April 2024), which highlighted the public’s trust in the NHS, GPs, and healthcare professionals as sources of physical activity advice. However, these professionals expressed a need for more easily accessible and printable resources as well as increased knowledge of local facilities and services. In response, we created a Moving Medicine resource pack, which was distributed to all GP surgeries in the borough to support local health and social care professionals to better understand physical activity for people living with health conditions. We also provided professionally printed posters which could be displayed in the waiting areas.

Through the We Are Undefeatable in Blackburn with Darwen campaign, we’ve learned several valuable lessons which we feel can be applied to other public health communication campaigns. The significance of using data-driven insights, tailoring campaigns to local needs and collaborating with others across the local eco-system are all critical factors in achieving success.  By doing this we can create more effective campaigns and make a lasting impact on public health outcomes.

You can explore the We Are Undefeatable in Blackburn with Darwen campaign by visiting this webpage.

If you’d like to gain firsthand knowledge on transforming your own health campaigns to better serve targeted communities, join us for an insightful webinar on January 29th – book on to secure your place.

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In November 2024, the Let Me Move team met with Robert Houseman, Supporter Liaison Officer at Accrington Stanley, where he informed us of their recent work with the club’s disabled supporters, who are now known as the SWANs (Supporters With Additional Needs).

We came up with an idea to combine both the need to increase attendance of disabled supporters at Accrington Stanley matches and our work in promoting more inclusion within physical activity spaces by collaborating on the club’s Walk to the Match campaign.

Walk to the Match is an initiative as part of the broader Let’s Move Hyndburn campaign. This fan-led movement encourages supporters to walk, cycle, or wheel to home games at the Wham Stadium, promoting physical activity, community engagement, and environmental sustainability.

This idea coincided with the fact that the club had already begun planning their Unite for Access fixture, which was scheduled to take place on 22 February against Doncaster Rovers in partnership with Level Playing Field.

Level Playing Field’s Unite for Access campaign is an annual initiative celebrating and promoting accessibility and inclusion for disabled sports fans. The campaign, which typically runs for a two-week period, encourages clubs and sporting venues to highlight and improve their accessibility, ensuring that all fans can enjoy live sports. It aims to raise awareness of the barriers disabled fans face, combat disability-related abuse, and create a more welcoming and inclusive matchday experience for everyone.

Prior to this, Robert introduced us to Lee Walsh, Head of Sport at Accrington Stanley in the Community Trust, who then invited us to meet some of the participants who attend their Disability Sports Project, which takes place at both Stanley Sports Hub and Hyndburn Leisure Centre.

A range of sessions can be accessed, including multi-sport on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and football on Fridays. More information can be found here.

At the two sessions we attended, we met a group called Motiv-8 Lancs and developed a short film on the impact the sessions have had on the participants, including a case study on a participant named Adam, highlighting his journey.

Director of Motiv-8 Lancs, Tracy, spoke on film about how she has seen the participants develop as a result of attending the sessions:

“Our clients have been coming to Accrington Stanley for over a year now. They absolutely love it. It improves their mental health and well-being; they take part in physical activities; they have fun sessions where they learn new skills and techniques.”

Adam said of the sessions:

“I love having a laugh and taking part in different activities.”

During the production of the video, we partnered with Deaf Village North-West CIC, who created a BSL version of the video. This was released on the day of Accrington Stanley’s Unite for Access fixture against Doncaster Rovers on 22 February.

Deaf Village North-West CIC is a Community Interest Company that provides a central hub and a range of services for the Deaf community and their families in the North West of England. Their mission is to create a cohesive and inclusive community, raise Deaf awareness, and break down communication barriers. They offer various services, including a communal gathering space, residential living for Deaf adults, and opportunities for social and professional development.

We thank all the partners for collaborating with us on this project and hope they enjoyed the day!

Watch the video here:

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Together an Active Future and the We Are Undefeatable national team joined forces to invite local community groups and partners for a day of celebration and connection. Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers FC, provided the perfect backdrop to share inspirational stories of local people who have embraced physical activity to improve their health and wellbeing.

We have embraced the opportunity to work together with partners across the borough to localise the campaign by featuring Blackburn with Darwen residents and signposting to local services. From boxing and wild swimming to cycling and walking, these inspiring individuals showcase the diverse ways to be active, regardless of your condition.

The day showed the power of community connections and created a space where attendees could see and feel the tangible difference their work makes. Storytellers from the campaign shared their lived experiences, highlighting the positive impact that physical activity has on the management of their health conditions.

Alison Whittaker-Stewart, TaAF Physical Activity Campaigns Lead, said:

It was fabulous to see so many people from different sectors in the room, enthused and committed to support the campaign and help make it a success.  The storytellers were truly inspiring and reminded everyone of the collective strength that resides within our communities. It’s also showed the transformative power of collaboration and how together, we can create a culture of health and well-being in Blackburn with Darwen. Let’s make physical activity accessible for all and show that indeed, we are undefeatable!

Doing things differently:

• Local Storytellers: We’re putting the spotlight on everyday people in the Blackburn with Darwen community, such as Chris who lives with Parkinson’s disease and moves more through walking football and support from Mind2Muscle. Their relatable experiences will resonate with others facing similar challenges, making the message more impactful locally.
• Targeted Approach: Data is king! We’ve used public health data to identify the most relevant stories for different areas, ensuring the campaign speaks directly to each community within the borough, and targeting different long term health conditions, based on their prevalence at ward-level.
• Empowering Professionals: We know healthcare professionals play a vital role in encouraging physical activity. We’ve shared resources including We Are Undefeatable’s recently published ‘Bridging the Gap’ report and the Moving Medicine Packs to equip them with the tools to effectively communicate the benefits of staying active to their patients, and we want them to utilise the campaign as a central resource to support their patients to move more
• Collaboration is Key: We can’t do this alone! We’re calling on all community partners to join forces and spread the word. Share our social media posts, utilise the campaign assets in your communications, and let’s create a movement together.

Peter Dutton, Activation Manager at We Are Undefeatable, said:

Our aim is to influence change and collaborating with local partners during the planning of this campaign has been crucial to its development and to support our aims of tackling inequalities in Blackburn with Darwen through physical activity. This campaign has been shaped using population health data at ward-level, and stories will be shared within the most relevant community groups. We Are Undefeatable are excited by the impact that this innovative place-based campaign activation can have, and we hope to share our learnings from this collaborative system-led approach with others.

It’s now important for us to keep momentum after this launch event to have the greatest impact on the lives of people living with health conditions in Blackburn with Darwen.

Looking to get involved? Keep an eye out for the inspiring stories of our local storytellers, launching soon on the BeWell website and follow TaAFTalks and Blackburn with Darwen Council’s social media pages and share the campaign message across your own communication channels and websites!

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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.

Remember to sign up to our Newsletter to keep up to date with all our latest stories, updates and learning opportunities.

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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.

We are also creating a recruitment process which recognises and values the diverse skills and experience of disabled people and reflects this through paid opportunities. We are thrilled to introduce two passionate new members of the Let Me Move team, Joe and Bradley.

Meet Bradley Wilson

Hello my name is Bradley, I am a very supportive, kind and caring person, who volunteers my spare time supporting others with  learning disabilities.  I have volunteered for over 10 years with various organisations and have created my own networking group called ‘Spring into Phab’; this group is for people with learning disabilities to meet and attend organised events. This year we were nominated for the Ribble Valley Business awards – I am a huge advocate for allowing people with disabilities the same opportunities, social inclusion and accessibility.

I have strong skills in networking, building relationships, organising events and social media.

Wherever I go people know me, as I am a person you will not forget; I enjoy building rapport and socialising.  My current role is with Pathways Associates supporting and delivering training to care providers, covering relationships and autism awareness courses.

Meet Joe Skinner

Hi all, I hope you’re all doing good! My name is Joe Skinner and I’ve recently become part of the TaAF Let Me Move team. I’m very much looking forward to working on this fantastic project to create an inclusive environment for those with additional needs within the physical activity sector. As someone who uses an electric wheelchair and has cerebral palsy, I know first-hand the positive impact getting outdoors and being active can have on your physical and mental well-being, which is why this project is so important.

Through my role with TaAF, I will call upon my seven years of experience in coaching sports to those with additional needs, as well as my experience in campaigning in a personal capacity for a more collaborative approach to addressing inequalities within society. The reason I use the word “collaborative” is because this approach is key to achieving change in any line of work, but particularly within this field. Networking and working with a team of people with varied skill sets and lived experiences is something that I thrive upon, as it is a really good feeling when people come together!

In addition to my background in coaching, I will also look to utilise the fact that last September I obtained a multimedia sports journalism degree. I will use this experience to help highlight the wonderful impact physical activity can have on us all.

For more information or to connect with our work, please contact: rachael.mchugh@blackburn.gov.uk

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200 participants took on this unique opportunity to connect and learn together, discussing topics like strategies to combat inequality, innovative approaches to community development, and the power of collaborative leadership.

This short video, captures the atmosphere and connectiveness experienced on the day – hear from a few of our key speakers and workshop facilitators.

Shared Resources and Soapbox Talks

From personal anecdotes on what leadership and the future looks like to exploring the ideas around speaking the truth and taking the consequences – our soapbox talks were truly a crowd pleaser with something for everyone.

We’ve created a playlist, giving you access to all the soapbox talk in full to watch again or even better why not share your favourite ones with colleagues and keep the conversations going! Catch up on all the Soapboxes Talks here.

The Interactive Discovery Zone also proved to be a fantastic place for participants to think differently about the way they lead in a fun and practical way.

Want to do something similar within your teams? Check out the toolkit of resources used on the day here.

Key Learning and Feedback

”Thought-provoking” and ”inspiring” were the two thoughts that stood out when we asked participants to describe the day in one word.

This Col/Lab was just that, a collaboration of thoughts, ideas, learning, and connections. It showed what can happen when we embrace different ways of working and the importance of taking the opportunity to invest in yourself and others to develop the leaders we want for the future.

Our hope is that participants left this event feeling brave, ready to challenge and create change in their places.

For those that missed this event, we have a Leadership Series full of webinars and workshops for you to get involved in, don’t miss the opportunity to connect and learn together!

Keep updated with the latest TaAF Leadership events here.

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The Ribble Valley is a large geographical area where we are exploring physical activity and rural isolation. We are currently working through local assets, schools, GP practices, field nurses, the parish council and the farming community to take a ‘whole village approach’ to physical activity. Investing in a local champion through our shared role model, the Ribble Valley team tested an alternative investment approach, using crowdfunding to generate equipment for a play library in a local park as well as engage community members. Relationship with the parish council in particular, supported the success of the play library, which led to multi-generational increased physical activity in the park as well as community care activities such as litter picking. We found that having a local champion who is invested in physical activity generates an enthusiasm to be part of a physical activity movement.

We set out with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the complex barriers to physical activity in a rural setting. Dunsop Bridge, together with the villages of Newton and Slaidburn they make up the ward of Bowland, known locally as The Hodder Valley. The Ribble Valley consists of 27 wards, with Bowland being the most sparsely populated.Bus services in the area are limited and the nearest town is over 10 miles away, making accessibility to physical activity options more limiting, costly, and time restricting. There is one GP surgery in the ward 5 miles from Dunsop Bridge, the nearest Sports Centre is 9 miles away and at least a 20 minute drive on unlit country roads – the journey is not easy in the winter months when you are more likely to need an indoor facility.

We are testing an alternative investment approach, which is different to the ‘traditional’ approach of setting up sessions in a village, thinking that more provision is the solution. Due to low population and types of work (farming, rural jobs, fencing, walling etc) simply putting on events or classes, does not see a sustainable or adequate turn out. Yearly fluctuations due to the farming calendars, varied working hours, energy and trust is why a different approach is needed. Smaller, localised, almost a sympathetic nod to traditional village life (which is what makes it so wonderful). Through time and trust we have been able to talk, trial, and be patient, so that what is implemented will be sustainable. It is apparent that infrastructure and community play major roles within isolated rural villages. A big learning point has been conversation, by being in a place over organised meetings this has allowed a less threatening approach.

Rossendale Walking maps, Hyndburn Park engagement events, Blackburn with Darwen Witton Park & Greenhouse Project, are some examples where relationship building to make the most of the physical environment has been a stimulus for doing something different in a place across our 6 local authorities. To find out more take a look at our most recent Sharing the Learning report submitted to Sport England HERE

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The network is made up of 130+ individuals across different organisations, united by a common passion, Health & Wellbeing in Rossendale. Together they aim to “Connect for a better Rossendale” to improve opportunities within the area; including physical activity and mental wellbeing priorities.

Over the years the network has collectively hosted a series of ‘Big Connect’ events to focus attention on their collaborative priorities, including Mental Health, Schools, Young People, Sports Club Awards and more. In November they hosted their ‘Big Connect: Get Rossendale Active’ event; a Physical Activity conference organised to commence discussions, share ideas and start to form objectives that would enable the development of the Rossendale Physical Activity Strategy.The conference opened with a ten minute movement group exercise delivered by Rossendale Leisure Trust’s Project Officer – intending to introduce chair-based physical activity suitable for the office. The exercise session was followed by inspirational talks from guest speakers and a presentation showcasing where the borough currently stands in terms of active lives data. It ended with seven round table group discussions.

Following the conference, there will be a series of networking sessions held to deepen the conversations about physical activity, with topics including:

• What should we be doing more of to move to physical activity being part of people’s daily lives?
• How can we use the available insight to ensure that we create the right activities for the people of Rossendale?
• How should our network work closer to break down barriers for target groups in Rossendale?
• How will we know we are making good progress? What does good look like?
• How do we use the communication methods available to us to better embed physical activity into people’s lives?

The sessions will further inform the strategy objectives and how they can work collaboratively to deliver the Rossendale Physical Activity Strategy in 2024.

Teamwork and collaboration with the council and other community groups has supported and empowered us to be all we can be.

Jackie Shove, The Village People Community Group Crawshawbooth

How connected is Rossendale Connected

TaAF wanted to understand the impact of the Rossendale Connected Network and how they could improve to spark a true movement into Rossendale communities. Using a diagnostic tool designed by Innovisor Inc. we were able to map out how ‘connected’ Rossendale Connected is.

This research is informing decisions within the local authority to ensure this network is sustained for the future and opening up new conversations with the Rossendale Connected Community.

Learn more about Rossendale Connected and their work with TaAF in our latest Staying Curious Report to Sport England.

Sign up to our Newsletter below as we share our stories every week sharing the impacts made within our places.

Please feel free to share with us your thoughts and comments below.

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