P OLICY
RISING UP
for physical activity ukactive held its annual conference in Birmingham in June. The Active Uprising event saw the launch of a new project to explore the “untapped potential” of leisure facilities and also acted as the curtain call for the industry body’s outgoing chair, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
J
ust a month before it hosts the 2022
The potential of facilities
Commonwealth Games, Birmingham
One of the big announcements coming out of
was the setting for Active Uprising,
the event was the launch of a new research
one of the physical activity sector’s
initiative, exploring how the untapped
main annual events. Organised
potential of leisure facilities could save billions
by industry body, ukactive, and attracting
for the NHS. The two-year pilot will investigate
more than 900 industry professionals,
how leisure facilities could be transformed
the theme of this year’s conference was
into musculoskeletal (MSK) hubs which
“Leading our sector into the future”.
could be accessed in every community.
CONFERENCE PICS: © ACTIVE UPRISING / DARREN HARVEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Huw Edwards, ukactive CEO, said: “It’s just
26
According to official NHS figures, more
over a year since sports and fitness facilities
than 20 million people in the UK suffer
reopened following the pandemic lockdown,
from MSK-related health issues, ranging
so this summer’s Active Uprising represented
from arthritis and chronic pain to knee
a moment to build on the progress we
replacements. The pandemic has led to a
have made in the face of adversity and
backlog of people – especially among those
harness the unity we have going forward.”
over 50-years-old – who would benefit
Active Uprising attracted more than 900 industry professionals to Birmingham’s ICC
SPORTSNATION.ORG.UK JUL/AUG 2022
