Make the UK the most active nation in Europe
CIMSPA has joined its partners on the National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) in calling on the main political parties and their leaders to pledge to make the UK the most active nation in Europe.
Along with our partners, Active Partnerships, the Local Government Association, The Sport for Development Coalition, The Sport and Recreation Alliance, ukactive and The Youth Sport Trust, we are highlighting the latest evidence which shows that:
- The UK ranks joint 12th out of 15 comparable European nations for levels of physical activity.
- The UK is ranked as the third highest spender on healthcare costs caused by inactivity.
- The UK ranks 9th for overall wellbeing.
The pledge is calling for a commitment from all MPs, regardless of their politics, to acknowledge the huge positive impact that our sector has in improving health and wellbeing, reducing demand on the NHS, and supporting economic growth. It also asks them to champion growth in the sector and support cross-departmental working to realise savings of up to £1 billion in healthcare spending linked to inactivity, alongside the generation of an additional £3.6 billion per annum in GDP uplift through increased productivity and realising up to £77.2 billion in increased wellbeing benefits.
Tara Dillon, CIMSPA CEO said,
“We’re pleased to be working as part of the National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) to launch this pledge.
“Through our members who are working right across the sector, we hear daily the positive impact that sport and physical activity is having on lives in a range of communities.
“The long-term health and wellbeing impact is so clearly evidenced and at a time when we know that public finances and, in particular, the NHS, is under such immense pressure, the financial contribution that our sector makes in terms of helping to prevent long-term health conditions and supporting recovery, has to be championed.
“With our partners on the NSPG, we are calling on all political parties to commit to harnessing the phenomenal impact of our sector and work collaboratively to make the UK the most active nation in Europe.”
You can read the full pledge here and find out more here.