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