ukactive and its partners are celebrating the success of the Opening School Facilities programme. The £57 million investment from the Department for Education has helped schools open their sports facilities outside school hours, particularly in areas with health and social inequalities.
The programme aims to increase physical activity opportunities for children, women, girls, disadvantaged communities, and those with disabilities or long-term health conditions.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, praised the programme for unlocking access to sport and physical activity, providing safe spaces for children and young people to play and socialise, leading to happier and healthier lives. The ukactive Research Institute is the evaluation partner for the programme.
Andy Taylor, Chief Executive for Active Partnerships National Team, stated that the funding will engage 1,350 schools and create sustainable physical activity programmes. Active Partnerships will work with schools to identify local communities facing inequalities and provide access to more opportunities.
The programme aligns with the findings of the Active Lives Children and Young People survey, which revealed that activity levels have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but disparities persist based on affluence and ethnicity. The Opening School Facilities funding aims to address these inequalities.
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