Greater Manchester activity levels showing signs of recovery

By GreaterSport | 29 July 2022 | TAGS: Active Lives, "Adult data", funding

According to Sport England’s Active Lives survey, Greater Manchester is showing signs of a faster recovery than nationally at this stage, which is good news because we know we have got further to climb back after a bigger pandemic impact than other places. The inactivity gap between GM and national is closing (from 4% 12 months ago to 2.6%, previously 1.6% in November 2018-19 at its lowest). 

Although the trend across all demographics is consistent; inactivity decreased from baseline (November 2015-16) to its lowest pre-pandemic (November 2018-19), then peaked in November 2019-20 and is now showing signs of recovery. 

There is a concerning underlying picture, those with a Long term health condition (LTHC) or disability, those aged 75+, from a South Asian ethnicity or from lower socio-economic groups are still most likely to be inactive, with at least 2 out of 5 people from these groups doing less than 30minutes a week. 

The biggest concern is those from lower socio-economic groups and South Asian ethnicities, who were most significantly impacted by the pandemic and are showing least signs of recovery, to either baseline or pre-pandemic levels. 

How can I find out more about the data

You can read more about the data, the inequalities across demographics and your local data on the data and learning section of the website. 

You can also watch this 12 minute video, sharing the key findings of the data in Greater Manchester. The slides for the presentation are at the bottom of this news article to download and go through in your own time. 

 (A version of this video with subtitles can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVbLZaMuNOo)

What are we doing about it in Greater Manchester? 

There is already work underway to support residents from these groups to get moving as we strive for active lives for all across Greater Manchester. For example in Greater Manchester we are now targeting Sport England’s Together Fund on;

• Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions aged 55-74 years. 
• People of South Asian or Chinese origin. 
• Lower socio-economic groups (NS SEC 6-8). 

If you work with these audiences and would like to read more about the funding available through the Together fund click here. 

Case study from The Together Fund 

The Football Freedom Project was co-created by local charities Football for Humanity and Refugee and Asylum Participatory Action Research (RAPAR). They received funding through the programme and they bring up to one hundred refugees living across Greater Manchester together every week to play football. You can read more about the programme and the difference it has made here.  

Downloads

• Adult Active Lives November 2020 21 GM Key Messages