End of Year Message from the Sport and Recreation Alliance

As 2024 concludes and as we look ahead to 2025, the Alliance has published a message to members and partners.

Dear Members and Partners,

On behalf of everyone at the Sport and Recreation Alliance, I wanted to wish you a very happy festive period, and say thank you for all your continued support, hard work and good spirit through the course of the year.

With 2024 playing host to a General Election, as well as the Olympics, Paralympics and other major sporting events, we had an opportunity to reframe the crucial role of sport, recreation and physical activity in society, showcasing its impact in improving social and economic outcomes in communities across the country; the work of you – our members and partners – in helping to inspire, facilitate and deliver that; and the support that’s needed to overcome challenges and ensure it can continue.  

Here’s not the place to seek to reel off a long list of achievements (not least because I want you (as well as me) to be able to switch off soon and enjoy a well-earned rest) but, suffice to say, it's been a busy and successful year. And I’m very proud to say that, together, we’ve made real progress.

From shaping the debate on key, totemic issues around safeguarding and integrity in sport, to delivering guidance on concussion protocols and giving evidence in Parliament on the potential adverse impacts of draft Martyn’s Law regulations, we helped protect and promote our members’ interests and drive change.

We delivered a number of events, from our workshops on ‘inclusive language’ and ‘fit for your funding future’, to set-pieces like our AGM and Members Meeting at Spurs and our Community Sport and Recreation Awards at Headingley, bringing our members and your networks together and celebrating grassroots sport. We also delivered a wonderful SportingQueer event at the BOA’s offices in early summer - showcasing the power of diversity and inclusivity across our sector in bright and vivid colour – and produced a series of reports (including bespoke projects with members) to set out the social and economic value of sport, recreation and physical activity.

And through the course of the year, we’ve consulted and worked with you, our members, to understand your biggest challenges and priorities, enabling us to map key issues and trends and advocate for the sector in the advent of the General Election and beyond, culminating in the #takethelead campaign and Parliamentary event for the new cohort of MPs in September with our National Sector Partner Group colleagues.

Next year promises to be just as busy and – I’m certain – even more successful.

With our Movement and Dance colleagues, and spearheaded by Angela Rippon CBE, we’re helping to launch a new campaign – Let’s Dance! – in spring, to get the nation moving (and dancing!) and advocate for the benefits of a more active nation. With our Water Recreation and Outdoor Pursuits members, we’re developing the next iteration of Reconomics, to bring up-to-date and to bring to life the value of being active outdoors. With our National Governing Bodies and Sport colleagues, we’ll help to deliver more progress on key issues – be it safeguarding, or facilities investment, or workforce. We’re intent on working with you to identify your priorities and deliver real-world impact. And we’ll continue to engage all of our members and partners as we work towards next year’s Comprehensive Spending Review, and as part of our ongoing Member Review and in developing our new Strategy, to help ensure we’re delivering what you want and need, and that we’re sustainable for the long-term.

I’m also proud and delighted to say next year marks the Alliance’s 90^th anniversary – from our time as the CCPR to present day. I’m looking forward to continuing to work closely with you, our members and partners, to mark our and the sector’s heritage and future, and – ultimately – to help make more people, regardless of age or background, engage with and enjoy the benefits of sport, recreation and physical activity.

For now, though, let me say thank you again for your ongoing support, have a very good and restful break when it arrives, and all the very best for 2025.

Yours sincerely,

Lisa Wainwright MBE and all of the Alliance team

Share this article:

Back to all news