ukactive, which represents operators of fitness facilities, this week announced crossbench peer Tanni Grey-Thompson as its new independent Chair.
The appointment adds to the list of roles currently held by Baroness Grey-Thompson in the sector and will see her lend her voice, knowledge and experience to tackling the crucial issue of physical inactivity in the UK.
Baroness Grey-Thompson, acting in another of her capacities as honorary President of the English Federation of Disability Sport, recently delivered its Charter for Change which aims to encourage organisations to get more people with disabilities engaged in physical activity.
Alongside news of the appointment, ukactive also set out its campaign to get Britain more active and ensure physical activity is central to the policy thoughts of the next government. The objectives of this campaign are:
•tFor the government to have created a long-term, cross-department strategy for the establishment of physical activity best practice across all public bodies
•tFor the existing work of the physical activity sector to be recognised by government as a key driver of health and wellbeing for the nation
•tFor the prioritisation of skills and a 'wellbeing workforce' to be recognised and actioned by the relevant government departments
•tFor physical activity to be a top-tier priority for Public Health England, and for preventative health, led by activity policy, to be a key priority for the Department of Health
•tFor local authorities and schools to have individual physical activity plans spanning the areas of active travel, leisure provision, active aging and to be supported by central government in the development of these strategies but also to be held to account by government
Commenting on her appointment, Baroness Grey-Thompson said:
"With the formation of a new government shortly upon us, there has never been a better time to shout the message of more people, more active, more often loud and clear. I look forward to working with Steve and the ukactive team to make the greatest possible impact on the health of the nation in partnership with the thousands of ukactive members, partners and stakeholders spread the length and breadth of the UK."
For too long, physical activity has been - in the government's eyes - the poor cousin of sport and overshadowed by obesity. The work of ukactive up until this point has thrown into stark relief the fact that inactivity is a killer, and inaction on this issue is no longer an option.
What we have set out today will provide the base for the next five years of campaigning, lobbying and encouraging government and its executives to ensure that we turn good rhetoric into real action in order to turn the tide of inactivity and get every part of our society moving again."
Commenting on the news, Emma Boggis CEO of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said:
“I was delighted to congratulate Tanni on her appointment earlier this week. I know how passionately she feels about getting all of the population active and healthy. The UK Active aims fit well with the ‘asks’ we at the Alliance set out when we published “Raising the heartbeat of the Nation” earlier this year, so we look forward to working with Tanni and her new colleagues on meeting our shared objectives.”
The Sport and Recreation Alliance and the physical activity sector have published an open letter to the Government on the impact of Pathways to Work on disabled people and activity levels across the UK.
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