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Social Prescribing Link Worker Survey 2022

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Street Games Social Prescribing for C&YP Exec Summary

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Street Games Social Prescribing for C&YP Exec Summary

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All-Age Social Prescribing Executive Summary

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Natural England: Green Social Prescribing

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Natural England: Green Social Prescribing

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Natural England: Green Social Prescribing

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Natural England: Green Social Prescribing

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0:00 / 0:30•Watch full video

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Subtitled Partnership working & Green Social Prescribing – GM

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0:00 / 3:32•Watch full video

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Co design in Green Social Prescribing, SYB - subtitled

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0:00 / 3:58•Watch full video

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Subtitled Green Social Prescribing in Nottingham

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GSP Preliminary Evaluation Findings - Protected

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GSP Preliminary Evaluation Findings - Protected

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Green Social Prescribing Programme Update May 2022 - Protected

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A guide to welcoming older people with community activities

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Salford Social Prescribing Assessment and Planning Tool

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Salford Social Prescribing Assessment and Planning Tool

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Social prescribing NHS Futures collaboration platform - an online network for sharing resources and for discussion. Membership is open to link workers, PCNs and colleagues involved in social prescribing. To join email england.socialprescribing@nhs.net

Summary Guide- gives a clear picture of what a good social prescribing scheme looks like. It also includes a Common Outcomes Framework to help measure the impact of social prescribing on people, the local system, and the voluntary and community sector.

Reference Guide for PCNs - provides information on setting up social prescribing services including support for recruitment, induction and supervision. It also outlines what quality assurance measures are necessary, and how information can be gathered to help develop a consistent evidence base for social prescribing.

PCN toolkit (technical annex) provides templates and guides to support PCNs in implementing social prescribing.

Welcome and induction pack for link workers in primary care networks.

Handout for practice staff to give to people who are referred to a social prescribing link worker.

Accredited online training:

Webinars

A regular series of webinars focuses on topics covering key approaches to effective social prescribing.

Presentations used on previous webinars are available on the social prescribing Future NHS collaboration platform. (If you are not already a member email england.socialprescribing@nhs.net.)

The current series of webinars is focussing on support for link workers who are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. More details are on the social prescribing Future NHS collaboration platform.

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NHS England » Supporting link workers in primary care networks

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Health and high quality care for all, now and for future generations

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We've worked with The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to provide a hub of information aimed at improving the digital marketing skills of our sector.

Research conducted for us by the Digital Marketing Institute surveyed more than 1,000 people involved in sport and physical activity marketing and communications, and showed 63% of them had no clear plan to attract new audiences through digital channels.

As a reaction to this digital skills gap, and to help sport and physical activity providers encourage people back to activity as coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions ease, we teamed up with CIMSPA and used £450,000 of National Lottery funding to develop the free Digital Marketing Hub.

Aims of the hub

The Digital Marketing Institute's research also found that 81% said attracting new participants was very, or extremely, important and 25% rated their organisation as 'not at all' effective at adapting to new trends and insights - with just 10% rating their organisations as 'very or extremely' effective.

With activity levels having fallen because of the restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, this hub aims to help people and organisations improve how they apply digital marketing tools and techniques to encourage more people to play sport and be active.

What's being provided?

The hub will combine online learning, via bitesize modules and a live webinar series, with peer networking opportunities.

The hub will be tailored to small businesses, self-employed professionals and volunteers at frontline organisations and clubs, as well as marketing and communication professionals at larger organisations.

Using content provided by a consortium of partners, it'll explore how digital marketing can be used to re-engage people with sport and activity, and look at how people can understand more about their audience.

Other topics the programme will cover include:

Reaching new audiences - helping people to reach new and more diverse audiences and drive growth for their organisation or club on small budgets

- supporting people to better understand and apply audience and sector insight to inform their digital marketing activities

-supporting people to set goals and key performance indicators and measure them effectively

- increasing understanding of the key digital marketing channels, such as social media, search, websites and email, and giving people the practical skills to use them effectively.

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We've worked with The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to provide a hub of information aimed at improving the digital marketing skills of our sector.

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I liked the simplicity and practicality of the questions - could be easy to design similar for physical activity

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The Singing for Health Network, working with partners across the singing and health sectors, has created free, dowloadable guides for Social Prescribers/Link Workers and leaders of choirs & singing groups across the UK. These are designed to support successful referrals to choirs and a happier, healthier singing nation! So if you're a social prescriber or run a choir or singing group and would like to find out more, simply click on the relevant button to download the PDF:

Produced in association with:

New to the Singing for Health Network? Find out more about us and our work , and consider for only £20 per year to access our resources and events, and become part of the network that's helping to drive the Singing for Health Movement.

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The Singing for Health Network, working with partners across the singing and health sectors, has created free, dowloadable guides for Social Prescribers/Link Workers and leaders of choirs & singing groups across the UK. These are designed to support successful referrals to choirs and a happier, healthier singing nation!

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Sport England Strategic Outcomes/Leisure Services Delivery Guidance

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Sport England Strategic Outcomes/Leisure Services Delivery Guidance

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Strategic outcomes planning and leisure services delivery | Sport England

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Sport England has produced its Strategic Outcomes Planning Guidance and Leisure Services Delivery Guidance to help providers when planning facilities.

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Angling Trust - Get Fishing for Wellbeing Resource

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Angling Trust - Get Fishing for Wellbeing Resource

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Many things can affect our health and wellbeing - finances, relationships, social environment, our health to name a few. For example, people may visit their GP because they may be feeling stressed about their work, money or because they are lonely and isolated. The impact that these issues can have on our physical and mental wellbeing has been particularly clear as the nation responds to Covid 19.

But, these problems cannot be fixed by medicine, or doctors, alone.

That's where social prescribing comes in. Social prescribing connects people to practical and emotional community support, through social prescribing link workers, who are based in GP practices and take referrals from all local agencies. Link workers have time to build trusting relationships, start with what matters to the person, create a shared plan and introduce people to community support.

It helps people get more control over their healthcare, to manage their needs and in a way that suits them. It can especially help people who:

have one or more long-term condition,

need support with their mental health,

are lonely or isolated,

have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

Source: National Academy for Social Prescribing - www.socialprescribingacademy.org.uk
Social prescribing links people to a range of activities that are typically provided by voluntary and community sector organisations, for example, volunteering, arts activities, group learning, gardening, befriending, cookery, healthy eating advice and a range of sports and pastimes, including angling.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Get Fishing for Wellbeing - Angling Trust

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About the Get Fishing for Wellbeing project Welcome to 'GET FISHING for WELLBEING'! Anyone who has been fishing will know how beneficial angling is at boosting mental health and wellbeing. Here you can find advice and links on how to start fishing and find mental health support near to you.

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Transport for London and Mayor of London's Active Travel toolkit for social prescribing

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Transport for London and Mayor of London's Active Travel toolkit for social prescribing

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Public Health England and partners would like to hear from healthcare professionals using the Moving Medicine website. Please follow the link below to participate in our survey. It takes around 5 minutes to complete.

The survey opens in a separate window, and is hosted by Ipsos MORI, an independent research organisation.

If you've previously completed this survey, thank you, please close this message.
Click here to take part

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Public Health England and partners would like to hear from healthcare professionals using the Moving Medicine website. Please follow the link below to participate in our survey. It takes around 5 minutes to complete. The survey opens in a separate window, and is hosted by Ipsos MORI, an independent research organisation.

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Range of resources for different audiences

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Here you will find further information and resources specifically for Social Prescribing Link Workers and Managers, Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS).

One in five GP appointments focus on wider social needs, rather than acute medical issues. In areas of high deprivation, many GPs report that they spend significant amounts of time dealing with the consequences of poor housing, debt, stress, loneliness, and physical inactivity. These factors are not amenable to traditional health interventions.

Social prescribing presents the NHS and local authorities with an opportunity to help people make use of existing community services, resources and facilities which can help them manage or overcome these social factors.

Social prescribing and community-based support is part of the NHS Long Term Plan's commitment to make personalised care business as usual across the health and care system and to bring additional capacity into the multi-disciplinary team within Primary Care Networks. This approach aims to reduce pressure on clinicians, improve people's lives through improved and timely access to health services, strengthen community resilience, reduce health inequalities, and meet the needs of our diverse and multi-cultural communities.

By increasing people's active involvement with their local diverse communities and finding the right support, they can feel more empowered to take control of their lives.
Get in touch:
hlp.socialprescribing@nhs.net
@SP_LDN

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Social prescribing - Healthy London Partnership

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Here you will find further information and resources specifically for Social Prescribing Link Workers and Managers, Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS). One in five GP appointments focus on wider social needs, rather than acute medical issues. In areas of high deprivation, many GPs report that they spend significant amounts of [...]

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One of the most popular approaches to promoting physical activity in the primary care setting has been through exercise referral schemes.

These schemes are widespread in the UK and form an important part of the interface between healthcare practitioners, health promotion specialists and exercise professionals.

We need your help to update this resource

We are looking for people who are working in, or have previously worked in, exercise referral schemes to complete a short questionnaire. This is to help us to understand the needs of people working in this area and what we can do to support.

We know that this resource is still hugely popular but also that the past 12 years has seen huge leaps forwards in the way in which the sector operates. There has been the emergence of new physical activity and sports strategies, changes in health service structures and the emergence of social prescribing. Loughborough University is working with Move Consulting on a project to understand the need and scope for the redevelopment of a new toolkit for the creation of ‘supported pathways’ for people to develop a physically active lifestyle.

The survey is open to people working in all aspects of exercise referral including referring healthcare professionals, exercise professionals, scheme coordinators and commissioners. It should take around 15 minutes to complete and is really important in helping shape this key physical activity guidance.

Aim of the toolkit

This exercise referral toolkit aims to provide an easy-to-read, practical guide for professionals involved in exercise referral schemes. It has been developed in consultation with a range of professionals and key national stakeholders.

The toolkit is not designed as a ‘blueprint’ for how exercise referral schemes must be designed, implemented and evaluated; it offers some best practice principles for all those involved in delivery, management and commissioning. It is for individual schemes to consider whether the implementation of these principles will improve the design, delivery and effectiveness of their scheme, given the capacity and resources available.

It draws upon Government policy for the design and delivery of quality assured exercise referral schemes; it is not a replacement for such national policy. Furthermore, it should not be used in isolation from the National Quality Assurance Framework for exercise referral schemes (NQAF). It uses the evidence base and local scheme practice to support schemes in meeting the guidelines set out within the National Quality Assurance Framework and to raise standards within schemes.

Please note, this toolkit was published in 2010. Some elements of best practice principles may have changed since this was published.

The toolkit is divided into several easy-to-use sections:

Section 1: Background technical report

Section 2: A Snapshot of ER Schemes Operating in England, Scotland & Northern Ireland – 2006-2008

Section 3: Exercise Referral Research

Section 4: Guidance for referring healthcare professionals

Section 5: Guidance for exercise professionals

Section 6: Guidance for exercise referral scheme coordinators

Section 7: Guidance for exercise referral scheme commissioners

Section 8: A guide to evaluating exercise referral schemes

Section 9: A guide to training and qualifications

Find out more about exercise referral schemes on the NICE website.

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This exercise referral toolkit aims to provide an easy-to-read, practical guide for professionals involved in exercise referral schemes.

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Alzheimers Society - Dementia friendly sport and phsycial activity guide 

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Alzheimers Society - Dementia friendly sport and phsycial activity guide 

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Sport England - Tackling Inequality: The Design Principles

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Sport England - Tackling Inequality: The Design Principles

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This could be updated to be relevant for SP

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Active travel social prescribing pilots: successful bids

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Local authorities awarded feasibility study funding for active travel social prescribing pilot schemes.

Applies to England

Documents

Active travel social prescribing pilots: successful bids

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Details

List of local authorities awarded funding to carry out feasibility studies for active travel social prescribing pilot schemes. These studies will be assessed to decide which authorities will then receive funding to create future active travel social prescribing schemes for the financial years 2022 to 2025.

This feasibility study funding has been awarded after 2 rounds of application and assessment.

The pilot schemes are trialling new walking and cycling programmes to enable increased active travel and physical activity.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Active travel social prescribing pilots: successful bids

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Walking and cycling information
20-Minute Neighbourhoods Creating Healthier, Active, Prosperous Communities An Introduction for Council Planners in England - TCPA - March 2021

The idea of the '20-minute neighbourhood' (also known as 15-minute cities) has grown with interest around the world, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the importance of the liveability of where we live.

Another way of describing a complete, compact and connected neighbourhood, where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk or cycle, the idea of the 20-minute neighbourhood presents multiple benefits including boosting local economies, improving people's health and wellbeing, increasing social connections in communities, and tackling climate change.

The TCPA with Sport England have been working with partners including Sustrans, Design Council, Fields in Trust, CLES and others to look at how the idea could be introduced in the context of the English planning system.

Produced in collaboration, this introductory guidance document on the 20-minute neighbourhood is for local planning authorities and outlines a set of principles for success with case studies from across England.
2021/22 Local Authority Capability Fund - Monitoring and Evaluation Guidance - DfT - Oct 2021

This document sets out the monitoring and evaluation requirements for Local Authorities to complete for the Capability Fund. It also provides good practice guidance, and templates to ensure a consistent approach to design and implementation across all local authorities
Park Active - British Parking Association - Sept 2021

Park Active is designed to support and complement the wider delivery of active travel by the UK Government, as detailed in Gear Change, its bold vision for cycling and walking, The initiative aims to improve public health, reduce congestion, bring down pollution levels and provide support for high streets and city centres across the entire community.

Effective parking management is at the heart of enabling many active travel sites. Park Active aims to provide a framework to enable active travel options that are tailored to local needs and positively contribute to the success of a long-term sustainable strategy. Park Active is led by the British Parking Association with input from stakeholders and support from the UK Government and wants to mobilise the parking community behind the initiative as a part of the Positive Parking Agenda.

Cities and towns across the UK have taken part in a survey and pilot schemes designed to demonstrate the feasibility of Park Active. This has resulted in a national framework and guidance to enable the implementation of Park Active sites anywhere.
GET IT - Gender Equality Toolkit In Transport - Future Transport Visions Group (FTVG)

What is the toolkit vision?

​To inform transport professionals how the work that they do and the decisions that they make impact women's mobility and to provide a resource to encourage them to be gender responsive, to ultimately create gender inclusive transport systems!
Standards for public cycle parking- June 2021 - Bicycle Association and the Cycle Rail Working Group

The standard is intended to enable people purchasing, installing and managing public cycle parking to procure products and installations which are:

Easy to use (including consideration of disabled people and inclusion generally)

Safe (for users and their cycles)

Secure (enabling secure locking)

Long lasting (corrosion resistant etc.) and

Fully in compliance with UK legal requirements.

"Public cycle parking" refers to cycle parking used by the general public, at facilities operated by either the private or public sector.

Road accidents and safety statistics - June 2021 - DfT

Statistics and data about reported accidents and casualties on public roads in Great Britain.
National Travel Attitudes Survey : Wave 5 - May 2021
"Off-road and segregated cycle paths (55%), safer roads (53%) and well-maintained road surfaces for cycling (49%) were chosen most often when Wave 5 respondents (who didn't state that cycling is impossible for them due to their disability) were asked about things that would encourage them to cycle more.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the sample support the creation of dedicated cycle lanes in their local area, even if this means less road space for cars."

All Articles tagged low traffic neighbourhood- Findings.com - May 2021

Stakeholder engagement in an emergency: Lessons from low-traffic neighbourhoods - Local Government Association - May 2021

To help draw out some of the key lessons from the EATF programme, the LGA commissioned experts from the University of Westminster and Fern Consulting to undertake independent research.

Greener Miles: how government and business can work together to reduce emissions from the commute
- CBI/KPMG - April 2021

New CBI and KPMG report outlines key steps that employers and government can take to help more commuters make climate conscious choices about how they travel to work

Travel demand management toolkit for local authorities
- DfT - March 2021

Help for local authorities in England outside London to manage a range of pressures on their transport networks during times of higher demand or reduced capacity.

How to talk to people about the future of their streets
- London Cycling Campaign and Urban Movement - July 2020

The guide: "How To Talk To People About The Future Of Their Streets" is aimed at practitioners, councillors and everyone involved in reshaping our city streets, to help them engage and consult with their communities better.

Low traffic neighbourhoods and population health - BMJ - February 2021

We urgently need to transition to healthier and more environmentally sustainable travel patterns, and low traffic neighbourhoods may substantially contribute to this goal. Resistance means, however, that such measures are not guaranteed to be implemented or stay in place. Avoiding the damage of a car based recovery will require bravery and a commitment to evidence based decision making from policy makers, supported by strong advocacy from civil society groups. BMJ 2021;372:n443

Switching to sustainable transport: a rapid evidence assessment - DfT - NatCen Social Research - February 2021

This rapid review used a systematic and transparent approach to select 30 articles for relevance and methodological rigour.

It aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What is the effect of interventions encouraging people to switch from using cars to using public transport or active transport?

2. Which groups are most likely to switch, and to what forms of transport?

3. Is there evidence of unintended consequences of interventions to encourage mode shift?
This rapid evidence assessment was undertaken by NatCen Social Research on behalf of the Department for Transport.

In May 2020 the Emergency Active Travel Fund was announced. The scheme aims to get more people to travel on foot and bike and helps mitigate public transport capacity constraints due to Covid-19 social distancing requirements. It supports local authorities to develop cycling and walking facilities and projects such as Low Traffic Neighbourhood Schemes (LTNs). LTNs are programmes that intend to reduce road access to motorists and increase spaces for walking and cycling. These schemes (LTNs) have been developed in towns and cities across England.
This research was conducted for the Department for Transport (DfT) and explored public attitudes to traffic and road use in England.
DfT Pubic Opinion Survey on road use and traffic
Spatial Planning and Health Getting Research into Practice (GRIP): PHE updated January 2021

The outcomes of this study call for built environment partners to work more closely with local public health teams to deliver healthy places and environments for the whole population
Study Report Full report
DfT Transport Statistics GB 2020 Dec 2020

This report presents a summary of transport statistics, the majority of which relate to calendar year 2019. The 2020 release includes a condensed set of highlights, which is complemented by other Department for Transport releases presenting more detailed and more recent statistics.
DfT Transport Statistics
Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review Dec 2020

"Reductions in air pollution, if they had been sustained, would provide enormous health and health equity benefits. However, since the first lockdown traffic pollution has again increased, and people are understandably reluctant to use public transport if they have an alternative. The clean air during lockdown did afford an opportunity to experience cities and towns with much reduced air pollution and quieter roads with more people walking and cycling. Building Back Fairer requires a sizeable reduction in private car use and greater active travel and use of public transport. Efforts to support this are required urgently and would help to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and lead to a more sustainable environment."

LTN engagement

A guide to inclusive cycling- Wheels for Wellbeing Dec 2020

The guide does not claim to be the answer to everything about inclusive cycling. Nor is it a highly technical set of design guidelines. Rather, it is somewhere in between: an accessible but thorough guide on the basic principles of inclusive cycling. WfW hope that it will be a useful tool for local authorities, transport bodies, civil engineers, academics, cycling organisations, disability charities, campaign groups and, of course, Disabled cyclists themselves

LTN engagement

The Urgent case for more walking and cycling- WACA Nov 2020

Walking and cycling alliance paper on understanding reaction to the introduction of low traffic neighbourhoods LTN engagement

A guide to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods - September 2020

A guide to low traffic neighbourhoods from Living Streets, LCC , Rosehill Highway LTN LTN

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods an introduction for policy makers- September 2020

A introduction to low traffic neighbourhoods from Living Streets, LCC , Rosehill Highway LTN LTN

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Information | Active Travel Information Portal | Active Travel Information

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Walking and cycling information 20-Minute Neighbourhoods Creating Healthier, Active, Prosperous Communities An Introduction for Council Planners in England - TCPA - March 2021 The idea of the '20-minute neighbourhood' (also known as 15-minute cities) has grown with interest around the world, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the importance of the liveability of where we live.

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Quality Assurance for Social Prescribing in England

This finalised document is an amalgamation of many months co-production to support social prescribing programmes in England.

It is intended to enable an agreed position against which all can seek to align, recognising key aspects pertinent to all, while recognising and embracing the variation across the breadth of social prescribing. It is a compilation of thoughts, processes, experience and rationale gathered from many organisations small and large, as well as numerous people with a vested interest and/or lived experience.

If you have any questions, please contact Craig Lister.

The process has been advanced in alignment with the NHS England development of the Social Prescribing Outcomes Framework and should be considered in parallel.

Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund has enabled this work.

​

Download the full document here.

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Quality Assurance for Social Prescribing in England This finalised document is an amalgamation of many months co-production to support social prescribing programmes in England. It is intended to enable an agreed position against which all can seek to align, recognising key aspects pertinent to all, while recognising and embracing the variation across the breadth of social prescribing.

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Starting Conversations: Physical Activity Throughout the Life Course - Waiting Room Video

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Starting Conversations: Physical Activity Throughout the Life Course - Waiting Room Video

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Social Prescribing and the Power of Change | Jennifer Neff | TEDxStormontSalon

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NHS CYP Training/module resource for SPLW

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NHS CYP Training/module resource for SPLW

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NHS CYP Training resource for SPLWCYP training space created on the NHS platform

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We are a collaboration platform empowering everyone working in health and social care to safely connect, share and learn across boundaries. Be part of a FutureNHS.

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Social prescribing: a regional facilitator’s view on primary care and the voluntary sector

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Access Toolbox by Hyper Island to build an innovative workplace and support well-being. Unlock your team’s full potential now!

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Positive and realistic depictions of later life

We've created the first free library showing positive and realistic images of over 50s in a bid to challenge negative and stereotypical views of older age. The photos show a more realistic depiction of ageing - to help tackle ageism and challenge the idea that all older people are frail and vulnerable. The library, which contains over 3,000 images and is regularly updated, offers journalists, organisations and individuals a wide selection of images.

Photos in the library are free for use across your presentations and websites, and they cover themes related to ageing such as health, homes and employment. You can access a preview of our image library below. You can also download our simple guide to using the image library and guidance around commissioning age-positive images.

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Photos in the image library, which depict older people in non-stereotypical ways, are available to download for free.

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Train to deliver Love to Move

If you are passionate about making a difference and would like to train to deliver Love to Move, find out more about our courses by clicking the button below and help us reach and benefit more people.

Download our Love to Move booklet

If someone close to you is living with dementia, you will naturally want to do everything you can to help them to enjoy life as much as possible.

Our exercise booklet is available to help you try our Love to Move programme in your own home with your loved ones, containing some of the key exercises from the programme inside, as well as more information about why our programme is working.

"They've helped me to get moving. They've helped me get home again."

The Love to Move Programme has helped Jean regain her independence.

Jean wanted the chance to tell us about her story. She explained that she used to be a resident in the care home as she had lost some mobility and a lot of independence. She said it was our programme that made all the difference and helped her to get her independence back again and help her to get home again.

With your generous support, you can help more people to benefit from the Love to Move programme! Just £55 can support a group of people living with dementia to enjoy a love to Move session.

What makes our programme so effective?

Love to Move is specially designed to get older people moving and functioning better. The programme achieves this by carefully integrating the use of gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation therapy and social interaction activities. Almost every part of Love to Move is based on bilaterally asymmetrical movement patterns. This is understood to benefit older people and those with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, by enabling the left side and right side of the brain to process information independently; thus improving cognitive function, coordination and the ability to carry out activities of daily living more independently.
Above all, the programme is fun! One of our participants has said that it brings her;
"One hour of wonderfulness each week!"

"The Programme has a demonstrable benefit in the physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of older people and those older people having mild to advanced forms of dementia appear to benefit the most."

Research conducted by Age UK, June 2016

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Love to Move | British Gymnastics Foundation

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If you are passionate about making a difference and would like to train to deliver Love to Move, find out more about our courses by clicking the button below and help us reach and benefit more people.

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Resources and activity finder supporting women be active throughout and beyond pregnancy

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About Us

We know there are misconceptions that being active during pregnancy carries a risk to mothers and their babies. Women often face criticism if they continue an active lifestyle, and many are told to 'take it easy'. We also know that there is little consistent advice and support for women who wish to stay active, especially those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. We intend to change this!

Our aims are to remove traditional barriers and social stigmas, ensuring there is easily accessible provision in expertise, information and support for women who choose to be active throughout pregnancy and motherhood.

​

As a charity the Active Pregnancy Foundation intends to normalise active pregnancies. So join our movement and help us to change our culture, and improve the future health of our nation.

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About Us We know there are misconceptions that being active during pregnancy carries a risk to mothers and their babies. Women often face criticism if they continue an active lifestyle, and many are told to 'take it easy'. We also know that there is little consistent advice and support for women who wish to stay active, especially those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds.

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Keeping active is more important than ever for people with health conditions while more of us spend increased time at home, because being active is all good for your health and wellbeing. Yet research undertaken by DJS Research highlights that COVID-19 has become the biggest barrier to physical activity, more so than worries about pain or making a health condition worse.

We are encouraging people to keep moving. Even small amounts of activity in and around the home or local area, throughout the day can make a difference. It doesn't have to be an exercise video to count, dancing around your living room, stretching while watching tv or doing some gardening all adds up.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, the charity's hundreds of social clubs and groups are slowly reopening and where we are unable to meet our Virtual Village Hall has been designed to bring people together to enjoy activities at the same time. Whatever your ability or health condition, we hope you'll find an activity to keep you on the move. From gentle exercises whether seated or standing, to mediation and yoga, our activities can take place in live sessions or by watching back in your own time.

If someone you know needs support to be active at home with their condition, try to talk to them about being active; you can help to reassure them that however they move it can help them stay as well as possible. For tips on how to move more at home visit WeAreUndefeatable.co.uk

Royal Voluntary Service is one of the many charities leading We Are Undefeatable, a campaign supporting people with health conditions to be active in whatever way works for them.

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Keeping active is more important than ever for people with health conditions while more of us spend increased time at home, because being active is all good for your health and wellbeing. Yet research undertaken by DJS Research highlights that COVID-19 has become the biggest barrier to physical activity, more so than worries about pain or making a health condition worse.

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Handy printable patient information leaflets for condition specific advice, including depression. There;s aksi general advice, plus tips and guidance fro people recovering from COVID.

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Online activity finder

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What gets you moving? FIND THE SUPPORT AND Resources YOU NEED to get acTIVE FIND A SESSION NEAR YOU FIND WAYS TO BE ACTIVE AT HOME HInts and Tips to help you get started See all Hints and Tips What is get active? Being active is about finding out what works for you.

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These resources are designed by older people for older people. Find a set of fun 10-minute routines that can fit easily into someone's day.  Tune in online - listen or watch.

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My name's Terry, I'm 72 years old and have 11 grandchildren. They keep me fairly busy! I have tried to be active for many years now. But I am not super-fit and I am certainly no athlete. I just realised that if I wanted to enjoy a quality of life - especially through my later years - with the mobility and strength to take part in things, as opposed to just looking on, I had to keep moving. And so I do, especially with exercises such as these. They are simple, they are fun, and you'll simply feel better!
Terry Keen, 10 Today Designer
Fitness instructor specialising in older people

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My name's Terry, I'm 72 years old and have 11 grandchildren. They keep me fairly busy! I have tried to be active for many years now. But I am not super-fit and I am certainly no athlete.

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Find something to suit everyone with Sport England's online resource library. Plus discover an online activity timetable, the most recent government advice and top tips for getting started.

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If you're unsure about your ability, it might be wise to start gradually and build up. Please feel free to refer to the UK Chief Medical Officer's (CMO's) Physical Activity Guidelines when determining the level of activity appropriate to you.

Make sure you warm up and cool down to prevent injury, and make sure you keep hydrated.

Stop the exercises immediately if you feel faint or unwell, and if you still feel dizzy or unwell, have a rest. Next time try something less strenuous, building up your activity gradually.

Make sure your workout area is safe and free of obstacles before exercising.

Supervise any young children taking part.

If you're pregnant, the CMO's advice is to start gradually if you weren't active prior to pregnancy. And if you were, then to keep going but listen to your body and adapt.

Staying active during pregnancy helps with mood, sleep and reduces the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and weight gain.

The CMO recommends 150 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity a week - with every activity and minute counting.

The NHS has also produced guidance about getting active during pregnancy.

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If you're unsure about your ability, it might be wise to start gradually and build up. Please feel free to refer to the UK Chief Medical Officer's (CMO's) Physical Activity Guidelines when determining the level of activity appropriate to you. Make sure you warm up and cool down to prevent injury, and make sure you keep hydrated.

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Free, evidence based app that builds up walking.  Tracks and monitors progress and allows people to set goals for the day. Easy to use.

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Being active is good for your mind and body. Every minute of activity counts - and the more you do, the more you'll benefit.

Exercise can:

improve your sleep

clear your mind

boost your energy

help with back or joint pain

Exercise can also reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and some cancers.

Make a start today - it's never too late!

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Being active is good for your mind and body. Every minute of activity counts - and the more you do, the more you'll benefit. Exercise can: improve your sleep clear your mind boost your energy help with back or joint pain Exercise can also reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and some cancers.

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Free, evidence based app for absolute beginners. 9 week programme that builds up to a 5k run. Designed to support every step of the way.

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General health and fitness guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64, including tips on how to achieve 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week.

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The go-to source for trusted online information about being physically active. Find video workouts including adapted exercises, cardio, strength and balance and yoga.  Plus advice, fitness plans and printable pages.

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NHS Fitness Studio: free online fitness videos, aerobics videos, strength and resistance videos, pilates and yoga videos and more.

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Find out more about exercising with arthritis and what types of exercises are beneficial for certain conditions.

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Resource type: Information leaflet

Publication type: Stroke information

After a stroke, starting to be more active can be a massive boost to your recovery and your confidence. Almost anyone can find a way to add movement into daily life. You can be active in your home, and you don't need to do sports or join a gym.

Being more active can help improve your sleep, and improve your mood. It can help you manage high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. You can reduce your risk of a stroke, stay healthy and feel great.

This guide is packed with practical tips on how to stay motivated and plan more activity into your daily routine. Start moving more at home with activities like chair-based movement, walking and stair-climbing. There is more about being active outside the home, and inclusive sports. We've also got great advice on how to be active if you have problems with incontinence, balance, fatigue and vision loss.

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Getting regular exercise is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of a stroke. This guide explains how exercise can improve your health, suggests some activities for you to try, and gives some organisations and resources that can help you find a form of exercise that suits you.

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Physical activity is proven to benefit physical and mental wellbeing, and can prevent the development of further illnesses and reduce the mortality gap. Socially and culturally, it helps bring people together for a shared purpose. In this section, find out about the campaigns we support to encourage people to get active and stay active and how being physically active can play a key role in our mental wellbeing.

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Physical activity is proven to benefit physical and mental wellbeing, and can prevent the development of further illnesses and reduce the mortality gap. Socially and culturally, it helps bring people together for a shared purpose.

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Exercising at home with Parkinson's: your toolkit

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We've put together a range of video workouts to help you stay active and exercise at home when you have Parkinson's.

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Physical activity is good for you, and this is especially true if you have Parkinson's. Read about what exercises will be most beneficial for you.

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However MS affects you, exercise will help you stay as healthy as possible. All kinds of movement can be good for you. You might enjoy sports, while someone else may prefer Tai Chi or yoga. Gentler activities like gardening and cleaning use your muscles too.

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Physical activity can help your mental health. Learn about 5 ways to get moving and what you can do if you don’t feel up to exercising.

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It is for anyone who has cancer or has had treatment for cancer and is thinking about becoming more physically active. There is also information for carers, family members and friends.

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Being physically active is good for diabetes. Whether you feel able to go for a run or a swim, or can manage some arm stretches or on-the-spot walking while the kettle boils, it all makes a difference.

If you're looking for a way to introduce more movement into your life, check out our new collection of free resources and get active in a way that suits you and your lifestyle.
Find out more
Chat to us to get moving more We're available on live chat to support you with getting active. Talk to us Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5:45pm. If you see a tick, it means our advisors are available. Click the sign to start your chat. If we're closed, you can still get in touch using our online form.
We know that diabetes can affect you in unpredictable ways, making it hard to know how you'll feel or what type of activity you should do. That's why it's important to remember that the small victories count. It doesn't matter if you try something new or just do that little bit more of something you already do. Each step you take to moving more can help with managing your condition.

Here we'll take you through the benefits of being active when you have diabetes, and help you better understand your feelings towards moving more. We'll share different types of activities to try, whether you're at home, have diabetes complications, or just need some inspiration. And we'll also look at how being more active can affect your blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Benefits of exercising for diabetes

There are many benefits of being active when you have type 1, type 2 or other types of diabetes. Moving more can:

help the body use insulin better by increasing insulin sensitivity

help you look after your blood pressure, because high blood pressure means you're more at risk of diabetes complications

help to improve cholesterol (blood fats) to help protect against problems like heart disease

help you lose weight if you need to, and keep the weight off after you've lost it

give you energy and help you sleep

help your joints and flexibility

help your mind as well as your body - exercise releases endorphins, which you could think of as happy hormones. Being active is proven to reduce stress levels and improve low mood.

help people with type 2 diabetes improve their HbA1c. In some cases, this can help people with the condition go into remission.

It's important to remember that being active is even more beneficial if you're also making healthier food choices, not smoking and getting enough sleep.

Your feelings about diabetes and exercise

Although there are many benefits to moving more, we know that you may be anxious about how your body will cope and how exercise can affect your diabetes. Some people think that moving more will be too tiring, or make their condition harder to manage, and others are worried about their blood sugar levels.

There may also be days when you don't feel like doing much, or the weather gets you down and you don't feel motivated to move. These worries and feelings are all understandable, but it's important to remember that you don't have to deal with these feelings alone. We're here to help, and we've got lots of information about emotional support and getting active.

We've also put together guidance and advice to help you feel confident managing your blood sugar levels when moving more, and we'll show you lots of different activities to try - especially for when you're home, or when you don't feel like doing much. Plus, we'll show you where you can get more support with exercising if you need it.

Move more Facebook Live with our experts

Watch our Senior Physical Activity Advisor, Neil Gibson, and Senior Clinical Advisor, Emma Elvin, talk about moving more when you have diabetes. As well as answering questions from viewers, they cover topics ranging from checking your blood sugar levels when exercising, to what you should eat and how we can support you to get active.

"The thought of being more active might be overwhelming, but once you start people have told me how great it makes them feel. You won't just see the benefits now. It's about building a healthier future too - we know being active helps protect your body against diabetes complications and can help you lead a happier and healthier life."
- Emma Elvin, our Senior Clinical Advisor

Best type of exercise when you have diabetes

There isn't one type of activity that's best for everyone with diabetes - it's about finding what works for you. This can depend on lots of things, like what you enjoy, where you are and how much time you have. Try to think about how activity can fit in with your life, not the other way around.

We're running free physical activity classes for people living with diabetes, both online and face-to-face with coronavirus safety measures in place. Sign up today and start your journey to move more.

In general, it's best to try and do a mixture of different types of activity. This is because different types of activity have different benefits, and use different parts of your body.

For example, swimming can make you breathe harder and raise your heart rate. This is good for your heart health because your heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body. When you have diabetes, keeping your heart healthy is even more important because you're more at risk of complications, including heart disease.

Gardening, however, can help with strength, and doing something like digging can help the body use insulin better.

Some people can find that doing the same thing can get boring after a while, so we've put together a list of ideas to give you inspiration or to help you get started.

And we've also teamed up with Sport England and other charity partners to help promote moving more across the UK in the We Are Undefeatable campaign.

If you have diabetes complications or other health conditions that affect how much activity you can do, it can be difficult to know what exercises to try. That's why we've put together more detailed advice about exercising if you have complications.

If you're feeling worried, talk to your GP or healthcare team first. They will be able to give you advice on how you can adjust things to suit you.

"You don't have to do traditional exercise, simply moving more is good for your health and your diabetes. It's amazing how quickly small changes can add up and lead to a physically active life."
- Neil Gibson, our Senior Physical Activity Advisor

Keeping active at home

If you're spending time at home, there are lots of ways to get active and keep moving that much more. How about doing:

on-the-spot walking during TV ad breaks

stretches for your arms and legs whilst sat in a chair

hoovering your home or washing your car

using cans of food as weights

gardening - if you have a garden. If you don't, do you have any house plants you can water, prune and re-pot while standing up?

It might help to pop some music on while you're doing this, especially if you're not in the mood to move. It can stop you concentrating on the time and help you feel motivated. For more inspiration, watch Zahoor explain how he manages to move more around his home in this We Are Undefeatable video.

If you need to start off at an easier pace, try standing during a TV advert. If you can manage it, work towards standing for the whole advert break, then to walking on the spot during adverts. You can mix this up by doing stretches instead, or jogging on the spot while the ads are on. This will help you get your steps up.

Everyone's different, and some people find video workouts helpful to keep them motivated and follow a routine. There are lots to choose from, but the NHS fitness studio might be a good place to start. Whether you're into aerobics, Pilates, even belly dancing - there are plenty of options for beginners and experts. But remember to warm your body up first. We recommend this warm-up video from the NHS.

Staying connected with others can also help with both your physical and mental health, so why not get moving with your family or friends? Although this can only happen virtually for now, the online workouts we've suggested could take place over Zoom, Facetime or through other apps.

Keeping active on the move

It's surprising how a slight change of routine can increase your physical activity levels and help you feel better when you're living with diabetes. This could include:

getting off the bus or tube one stop earlier, or parking further away from your destination

taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator

using your food shopping as weights

cycling

Keeping active at work

Keeping active at work when you have diabetes is important, especially if you have to sit down in front of a computer for a long time. Although many of us are working from home right now, you may still want to try:

walking meetings, using hands free equipment to chat whilst moving around in a safe environment

standing when you're on the phone or trying to use a standing desk

chair-exercises like sitting and lifting your arms up

putting set break times in your work diary every day and using the time to be more active - e.g. going for a walk and getting some fresh air

stretching for 5 minutes after every meeting; this can also be a great way to relieve stress.

If you are still going into work, you might find our tips about how to include more activity into your commute useful too.

Keeping active as a hobby

You could try starting up a new physical activity hobby. It'll help you manage your diabetes and feel good. Some ideas include:

starting yoga or Pilates YouTube workouts

signing up to a new class, such as dance or tai-chi

skipping

bowls.

You may also want to take a look at our fundraising events - there's a big range to choose from, involving walking, swimming, cycling and lots more. We organise these to help you get active and raise money, so we can keep working towards a world where diabetes can do no harm.

Exercising if you have diabetes complications

You can still exercise if you have diabetes complications, like problems with your eyes or heart, but you'll need to think a bit more about the activity you choose. For example, you should avoid high-intensity activity and heavy lifting. But there are other gentler, low-impact exercises you can try - such as swimming, cycling or walking.

Remember that a little bit of activity has so many benefits, so do as much as you can and reward yourself for any small changes you make.

Foot problems

If you have problems with your feet, such as neuropathy or foot ulcers, you might need to avoid certain types of weight-bearing activity like jogging. Chair-based exercises might be better for you, like raising your legs one after the other or lifting cans of food while you're sitting down.

It's also important to use suitable footwear when exercising, and make sure to regularly check your feet for any changes in the way they look or feel.

Speak to your healthcare team

It's really important to take care of your body, as well as be active. So speak to your healthcare team for more advice about what's best for you before starting anything new. They can help you decide what's safe and consider any complications you have.

Exercise and blood sugar levels

Being physically active can affect your blood sugar levels in different ways, depending on the type of activity you're doing. To help you feel more confident about moving more, we've put together information and advice about managing your blood sugars before, during and after your physical activity. Learn more about exercise and blood sugar levels.

Where to get support with exercise

Whether you're new to physical activity, or just looking for something different to try, here's some more support to help you on your journey to move more.

Get one-to-one support with moving more

Call our helpline for personalised and tailored advice from our highly trained specialists about getting active. If you're struggling to start moving more, looking for one-to-one guidance or are interested in finding out more about the support on offer, email helpline@diabetes.org.uk or call 0345 123 2399 to arrange a chat with our Physical Activity Helpline Advisors.

Sign up to our free 'Get Moving' courses

Starting in September, our Physical Activity Coordinators will be running free 10 week courses specifically tailored to support people living with diabetes who are currently doing less than 30 minutes of exercise a week. Find out more about the courses and how to sign up.

Use tools to set exercise goals and plan ahead

Setting goals can help you break down what you need to do and how to do it. These can be short, medium or long-term goals, and they can give you the chance to think ahead about any barriers you might come across. Examples could include:

completing a weekly exercise video online

going on a daily walk

stretching for 10 minutes after you wake up.

We've also created a guide to moving more (PDF, 2.9MB) to help you start this journey. There's space for you to plan your activity and track your progress, as well as lots of information to support you along the way.

If one of your aims is to lose weight, we've made a weight loss planner (PDF, 534KB) for you to download. You can stick it to your fridge to help you keep track each day.

You might also want to try our Learning Zone to learn more about how effective a little bit of physical activity can be for your diabetes. You'll also be able to hear from other people with diabetes about what they do to get active and how it helps.

If you're short on time and prefer to plan while you're on the go, try apps like the Couch to 5K and Active 10. Apps can be really motivating and give your planning some structure.

Talk to your healthcare team

Ask at your GP surgery about local services to help you get active. They should be able to tell you about new classes or events and give you advice on what type of activity might benefit you the most.

Find out what's happening in your local area

Getting active with others can often give you that extra bit of motivation you need.

We run local diabetes support groups to bring people with diabetes together. Sharing tips and stories with like-minded people could help you learn and figure out what's best for you. Use our postcode finder to find out if you've got one in your area and check out what online activities they're running.

And why not sign up to one of our fundraising events like UK Wide Cycle Ride or the One Million Step Challenge. Signing up to a challenge like this can give you a realistic goal to plan ahead for. Plus you'll be part of our team, and we'll support you every step of the way.

This content has been created in partnership with support from national lottery funding through Sport England.

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If you're looking for a way to introduce more movement into your life, check out our new collection of free resources and get active in a way that suits you and your lifestyle. Find out more Chat to us to get moving more We're available on live chat to support you with getting active.

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Nutricia and Carers UK have worked together to produce a range of leaflets on caring and nutrition.

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Wellbeing Support | Activities & ideas | British Red Cross

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Advice and activities for adults and children to support wellbeing, tackle loneliness, build resilience, and help manage stress, anxiety, and worry.

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Exercise helps everyone live a happier and healthier life. If you have heart and circulatory disease, it can help manage your condition and get you feeling great.
What's on this page?

Why should I exercise?

It's well-known that exercise is good for your health. When it comes to your heart, it can reduce your risk of heart and circulatory diseases by up to 35% - giving you peace of mind and a longer life. Getting active can also help you:

control your weight

boost energy and improve sleep

improve mental health

improve symptoms of heart and circulatory conditions like angina pain in the long-term - making everyday life easier and letting you do more

reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, which lowers your risk of getting heart and circulatory diseases like heart attacks, strokes and vascular dementia

reduce feelings of stress.

Should I exercise?

It's normal to worry whether you should exercise if you've got a heart problem. Most people will still be able to and feel the benefits of staying active. In most cases, getting your muscles and lungs working better helps put less strain on your heart. However, there are some things to keep in mind before getting active:

heart conditions - with some conditions, you may have to think about whether you can use weights, or how intense your exercise can be. If you use GTN spray to manage your chest pain, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about how you can use it alongside exercise

medications - some may affect your exercise. For example, beta blockers affect your heart rate and may make you feel more tired. Talk with your doctor to find the medication that works for you

implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) & pacemakers - most people with these implanted devices can exercise safely and your doctor should tell you if you have any limits to what you should do. This often means sticking to moderate intensity exercise (like walking and gardening) and avoiding contact sports like rugby

listen to your body - you should only exercise if you're feeling well enough to do so. If you start to feel symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations (the feeling like your heart is pounding, or skipping a beat) or unusual shortness of breath, you may need to scale back your exercise. Speak to your doctor If you're experiencing this

the weather - if it's too hot or too cold, your heart may be under more strain to exercise. If this is the case, try a low-stress activity like stretching instead.

If your doctor is happy for you to exercise, you can start by choosing an activity that's right for you. We can help you with cardiac rehab, chair-based workouts, top tips about running and much more. Get started with our guide on starting exercise after a heart attack or surgery.

It's important that you speak to your doctor before beginning any physical activity for the first time. They can answer any questions you may have, tell you about exercising with your condition and provide you with specific information to help you safely get active.

You should not start any exercise if you are currently feeling symptoms and should stop and rest if you notice them during your exercise. If this happens, you may need to scale back the intensity of your exercise until you've spoken to your doctor.

If you have chest pain that's not gone away or any other symptoms of a heart attack, call 999.

What type of exercise should I do?

Not all exercise is the same and the different types of exercise you do have different benefits for your body. The recommended types of exercise for improving heart health are:

aerobic exercise - when you're moving your body in a way that makes you warm and slightly out of breath like when walking, cycling, doing housework or gardening. Over time, this type of exercise helps your heart and circulatory system to work better by helping to lower your blood pressure and resting heart rate, improving cholesterol levels and helping you maintain a healthy weight

balance and flexibility exercise - exercise like yoga, tai chi and Pilates where we hold our bodies in less stable positions. These exercises make sure our muscles don't get too tight and keep us flexible, helping avoid pain or injury and reduce the risk of having falls

resistance exercise - resistance training like lifting weights or using resistance bands and cables to strengthen your muscles. The stronger your muscles are, the harder they can work which takes the strain off your heart making it easier to do everyday tasks. Check in with your doctor before you start any resistance training as it may not be suitable for some people with heart conditions.

It's important to remember that getting active doesn't have to mean spending lots of time doing an activity that you may not enjoy. It can be something as simple as playing with your grandkids, walking to the shop or gardening. If it gets you a little out of breath, you're being active.

For most people, your weekly exercise should be a combination of aerobic, resistance and flexibility and balance activities for well-rounded health. Not sure where to start? Find out which activity suits you best by taking our quiz.

How much exercise should I do?

It's recommended that you do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. Moderate exercise is when you feel warm and comfortably breathless like when walking or pushing a lawn mower. Intense exercise is when you breathe hard and fast like when running, swimming or cycling.

What one person finds moderate may be intense to another. That's why it's helpful to do the 'talk test' while you're exercising to find the right level for you. The talk test:

if you can comfortably talk while being active

feel warm and are breathing a little more heavily than normal

you're moving at the right pace.

Whether it's walking or weights, it's important to start low and slow and to 'listen' to your body. A session could be as little as five or 10 minutes. Even the smallest changes can have great results.

It's best to spread your exercise evenly over the week, making sure you have some rest days to ensure your body recovers. Recovery can be just as important for improving your fitness as the exercise itself. Being active is about living a happier, healthier life and should fit into it how you live.

How do I prepare for exercise?

Setting yourself up properly can make the difference to how you feel when you exercise. To get the most out of your activity, prepare by:

eating early and right - eat carbohydrate-based foods in plenty of time before exercising for energy and to avoid feeling too full

getting the essentials together - get your equipment ready, wear light, loose clothing and have a bottle of water and towel to hand

preparing your space - if you're at the gym, know what equipment you plan on using and where those things are. If at home, make sure there's enough room to exercise, move anything in your way and that you won't be interrupted

warming up and cooling down - stretching and starting slow helps loosen you up, lowering the chance of getting hurt and improving your movement.

Hill walking after triple bypass surgery

Read about Martin, who returned to his passion of hill walking six months after his surgery.
Read Martin's Story

Why should I warm up and cool down?

It's easy to skip if you're tired or in a rush but warming up and cooling down is important to staying safe and getting the most out of your workout. Warming up and cooling down helps by:

getting you in the right mood to exercise

preparing your body by raising your heart rate slowly, so there isn't a sudden increase in workload for your heart

sending blood to the active areas of your body

stretching to keep your muscles from shortening and increasing flexibility

warming up your muscles and preparing the joints for movement.

If you have a heart condition, a warmup should last at least 15 minutes and a cool down should last at least 10 minutes. Older adults may need 15 - 20 minutes.
What should I eat and drink?

Whatever your activity level, to stay fit and healthy everyone needs a good balance and variety of foods. This means choosing healthy carbohydrates, lean proteins, eating more fruit and vegetables and keeping hydrated.

carbohydrates - these are your body's main source of energy when you're exercising. It's best to choose high fibre, wholegrain varieties of oats, pasta, rice, breads and cereals. Carbohydrates provide the slow release of energy you need to fuel your exercise. There's no need to eat extra carbohydrates if you're active unless you're training for longer events

fruit and vegetables - these are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre which help keep your body and immune system healthy when you exercise. Aim for at least five portions a day

protein - known as the building blocks of life, these help your body grow and repair. You should try and include a portion of protein like lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy or alternatives sources like peas, pulses or beans with most meals

fluids - exercising raises your body temperature and your body tries to cool down by sweating. This causes a loss of water and salts through the skin. How much fluid you need depends on how long you exercise for, the temperature, and the amount you sweat. For most people, unless you are exercising for more than an hour, drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid (water, squash, fruit juice, caffeine-free teas) a day is a good idea.

Allow enough time to eat and drink before exercising to ensure your food is fully digested and avoid feeling sick or uncomfortable during exercise. Try to have a balanced meal 2-3 hours before exercising.

It's just as important to have a healthy diet as it is to exercise. Use our recipe finder for hundreds of delicious and healthy meal ideas packed with the nutrients you need for being active.

Exercise tips

You may find it hard to be more active at first, but as time goes on it'll get easier as your body gets used to activity. You may only notice small improvements, but it all adds up. Here are our top tips to get you started:

breathe - remember to breathe deeply throughout an activity to keep oxygen coming into your body and to help keep your blood pressure under control

be sociable - go for a walk with a friend, join a group or get active for charity to meet like-minded people and have fun

keep an eye on your progress - many smart phones count the number of steps you walk each day or time how long it takes you to swim a lap of the pool. Challenging yourself and getting better at an activity is fun

make exercise part of your day - plan a time to do some physical activity that fits in with the rest of your day like by walking or cycling instead of driving. It could even be something as small as parking your car further from the shop or getting off the bus a stop early. If you miss a day, don't worry - just make sure you start again when you can

keep moving - everyday activities count, so look out for opportunities to be active during the day while you're inside or outdoors. Whilst moving, don't change position too quickly as this can cause dizziness

start small - try breaking down your exercise into short sessions throughout the day and build up from there. You could start by taking a five minute walk every day or trying our 10-minute workout

set realistic goals - setting goals like doing a short walk outside every day is fun and makes you feel great when you achieve them. If you want to keep setting new goals, read about using the FITT principle

set reminders where you can see them - stick post-it notes on the fridge or set daily reminders on your phone so you don't forget (it's easily done)

get variety - make a list of enjoyable activities you can do such as dancing or cycling and do a different activity each week. This way you're less likely to get bored and lose interest

be proud of yourself - pat yourself on the back when you hit a goal. You've looked after your heart and that's something to be proud of.

Want to know more?

Order or download our Understanding physical activity leaflet to help you get moving.

Heart Helpline & other support:

speak to our cardiac nurses by phone, callback, email or online chat on Heart Helpline (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

contact us to talk to our customer care advisors, find your local BHF shop and for any comments, compliments and complaints you may have

sign up to our Heart Matters magazine for online information packed with health and lifestyle advice.

You can trust our health information

We've followed an eight-step process to make sure this content is reliable, accurate and trustworthy. Learn how we make our health information reliable and easy to understand.

Updated: October 2022

Next update due: October 2025

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Exercise helps everyone live a happier and healthier life. If you have heart and circulatory disease, it can help manage your condition and get you feeling great.

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Last reviewed: February 2019 Next planned review begins 2021

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Discover how engaging in the appropriate kind of exercise can be beneficial, from reducing fatigue to helping you regain a sense of control.

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The Age UK Walking Football Programme aims to reach more than 1,000 older people in communities across England.

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Exercise advice for keeping active as an older adults | Age UK

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Staying physically active is important to maintaining health and happiness. Find advice and support from Age UK to help you get moving so you'll feel better for longer.

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What is social prescribing?

Social prescribing is a non-medical intervention to give a patient a prescription to take part in an activity, such as exercise, socialising or spending time in nature, to tackle a specific mental or physical problem. The idea is to look at a person holistically, rather than isolating their physical or mental health from the social context in which they live.

The activities on a social prescription are typically free, either provided by community or voluntary organisations or by the natural world - such as spending more time outdoors - so are being posited as providing crucial support amid cost of living pressures.

Does the NHS offer social prescribing?

Social prescribing has been embraced by NHS England, which intends to build infrastructure around the concept and embed social prescribing and other community-based approaches across the NHS. Ultimately, the NHS plans for every person in England to have access to a social prescribing service through their GP practice.

This is the biggest investment in social prescribing by any country's national health system in the world, NHS England has claimed.
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"Rather than prescription drugs, getting people active, involved in their community in activities like park run, is great for their health and a great way for them to address issues such as loneliness, obesity and mental health" said health secretary Steve Barclay, who added that the department for health and social care is committed to investing in it.

If you're keen to hear what kind of social prescriptions could help you, ask your GP if they can refer you to a social prescriber who will help you to figure out what activities might benefit your health the most.

Where have people tried social prescribing?

In the North East of England, GPs have struggled to treat the growing numbers of people experiencing loneliness and depression, but social prescribing is trying to reduce pressures on surgeries and A&E.

Health and council bosses in Gateshead have rolled out a new approach to enable doctors to prescribe days out, including to an allotment run by one local GP surgery, in an attempt to help those who are struggling.

Social prescribing link worker Julie Bray was one of the first NHS social prescribers in the country. She told the BBC it's mind-blowing "just to see the difference in some of the patients that we've worked with".
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"They build their confidence up, it reduces GP appointments, it reduces A&E appointments, and it just makes them connect with the community and be resilient", she continued.

GPs in Scotland have been writing " RSPB Nature Prescriptions " that include giving patients a calendar of ideas to help them connect with nature to boost mental health and wellbeing.

After the project was trialled in the Shetland Isles and Edinburgh, over 74 per cent of patients who received nature prescriptions said they benefited from it, and 87 per cent said they would continue to turn to nature to support their health and wellbeing.

Nature prescriptions will now be trialled in Derbyshire in England, to connect people with the Peak District National Park through prescriptions from 13 different GP practices in the area.

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What is social prescribing and could it help ease the NHS mental health crisis? - The Big Issue

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Social prescribing is a non-medical intervention to give a patient a prescription to take part in an activity, such as exercise, socialising or spending time in nature, to tackle a specific mental or physical problem. The idea is to look at a person holistically, rather than isolating their physical or mental health from the social context in which they live.

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Active Pregnancy Foundation - Postnatal CMO Guidelines

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How does the NHS in England work and how is it changing?

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This programme is in partnership with...

About the programme

Falls are by far the most commonly reported type of patient safety incident in healthcare. Nearly 250,000 falls are reported from acute and community hospitals in England and Wales each year (NHS England and NHS Improvement, The incidence and costs of inpatient falls in hospitals. 2017). Nearly 100,000 of these patients suffer bruises, grazes, lacerations or more serious injuries. (National Patient Safety Agency, Slips trips and falls in hospital, NPSA, Editor. 2007: London).

Around 2000 hip fractures (National Audit of Inpatient Falls, Audit report 2020) and 600 other fractures (National Patient Safety Agency, Slips trips and falls in hospital, NPSA, Editor. 2007: London) are reported each year. 130 deaths associated with falls in hospital were also reported (National Patient Safety Agency, Slips trips and falls in hospital, NPSA, Editor. 2007: London).

The cost of treating falls in hospitals in the UK has been estimated at £630 million per year. (NHS England/Improvement, The incidence and costs of inpatient falls in hospitals. 2017). Although most falls do not result in injury, patients can have psychological and mobility problems as a result of falling.

There are 2 modules available in this elearning programme.

Module 1 is aimed at hospital based nurses.

Module 2 is aimed at foundation level doctors and includes interactive information about patient and environmental falls risk factors, the patient assessment and post fall management.

Both modules have been designed to complement, not replace, your local falls prevention policies and processes.

How to access

In order to access any elfh programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.
Register >
To view the Preventing Falls in Hospital: Fallsafe/Carefall programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.
View >
If you already have an account with elfh, then you can enrol on to the Preventing Falls in Hospital: Fallsafe/Carefall programme by logging in to the elfh Hub, selecting My Account > Enrolment and selecting the programme. You can then access the programme immediately in the My e-Learning section.

NHS healthcare staff in England - ESR

The Preventing Falls in Hospital: Fallsafe/Carefall programme is also available to NHS healthcare staff via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Accessing this e-learning via ESR means that your completions will transfer with you throughout your NHS career.

Further details are available here.

Not an NHS organisation?

If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.

To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ' OpenAthens ' portal.

Registering large numbers of users

If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Preventing Falls in Hospital: Fallsafe/Carefall programme, please contact elfh directly.

Organisations wishing to use their own LMS

For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.

More information

Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.

elfh is a Health Education England programme in partnership with the NHS and professional bodies

© elearning for healthcare 2022

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Preventing Falls in Hospital: Fallsafe/Carefall - elearning for healthcare

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This programme is in partnership with... Falls are by far the most commonly reported type of patient safety incident in healthcare. Nearly 250,000 falls are reported from acute and community hospitals in England and Wales each year (NHS England and NHS Improvement, The incidence and costs of inpatient falls in hospitals.

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Promoting physical activity in communities: Approaches for successful evaluation of programs and policies

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Promoting physical activity in communities: Approaches for successful evaluation of programs and policies

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Worthwhile Waiting - Supporting patients on waiting lists

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Once you are referred by your GP the waiting journey begins. If you would like us to help you make the most of the time before you see your specialist complete our short form, giving us your preferred time of day that we can call you.

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Our advice for clinicians on the coronavirus is here.
If you are a member of the public looking for information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19), including information about the COVID-19 vaccine, go to the NHS website. You can also find guidance and support on the GOV.UK website.

North East and Yorkshire

Humber, Coast and Vale: Humber, Coast and Vale ICS has a shared vision for local communities. With a population of 1.7 million, Humber, Coast and Vale want residents in the region to have a great start in life and to have the opportunities and support they need to stay healthy and to age well.

North East and North Cumbria: The North East and North Cumbria ICS want to build a new integrated health and care system together, using their collective capabilities to create a healthier, happier population. The aim is to keep people living healthily and independently and feeling in control of their own health and wellbeing.

South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System: South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw ICS serves a population of 1.5 million, in five local Places (Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield) with the goal for everyone in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw to have the best possible start in life, with support to be healthy and live well, for longer.

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership: West Yorkshire and Harrogate ICS works in partnership with NHS organisations, councils, Healthwatch, charities and the community, voluntary and social enterprise sector to improve the health and wellbeing of the 2.7 million people.

North West

Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership: The Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership is well on its way to becoming an ICS, focusing on strengthening collaborative relationships across the system by bringing the NHS, councils and communities together to improve health and care for our population.

Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership: The Greater Manchester system is working to improve the health, wealth and wellbeing of the 2.8 million people living here, delivering the greatest and fastest possible improvement to the health and wellbeing of the people of Greater Manchester.

Lancashire and South Cumbria: The Lancashire and South Cumbria system covers a region made up of five local areas (Central Lancashire, West Lancashire, Pennine Lancashire, Fylde Coast, and Morecambe Bay) with a population of around 1.8 million, working to invest in health and deliver high quality healthcare.

Midlands

Coventry and Warwickshire: Coventry and Warwickshire ICS have developed bold transformational plans to deliver the sustainable, safe services that are necessary for local population health and care, and that will reduce the risk of ill health for our citizens.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire: Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS is working closely with partners to continue its commitment to providing the best quality services to communities and patients, furthering development towards a better health and social care system for the population of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Joined up care Derbyshire: Joined Up Care Derbyshire ICS brings together health and social care organisations across Derbyshire. Working together more closely than ever before, the ambition is to provide the best care and services for people and make them as efficient and effective as possible.

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland: Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICS provide health and care services for over a million people in the local area, with everyday services supporting people to stay healthy and lead independent lives, whilst delivering plans to continue to improve care and the patient experience.

Lincolnshire: Lincolnshire ICS is committed to involving patients, the public, partners and key stakeholders in the development of future services, identifying priorities and understanding the needs of our population, to shape the transformation of our local health and social care services.

Live Healthy Live Happy Birmingham and Solihull: Birmingham and Solihull ICS, known as Live Happy Live Healthy, is a collaboration of public NHS and council social care commissioners and providers working together with partners in the voluntary, community and independent sectors to manage the health and care needs of our population to live long, happy and independent lives.

Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership: Northamptonshire ICS consists of key health and care organisations in the county, committed to working together towards a positive future for community services. By working collaboratively, the partnership is focused on local priorities; improving the quality of care and the health and wellbeing of our community.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: The aim of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS is to deliver sustainable, joined-up high quality health and social care services that maximise the health and wellbeing of the local population of more than a million, improve the care provided and tackle the growing pressure on budgets.

Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin: Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS brings together health and social care organisations across the county, working collaboratively to transform health and care services to deliver world class care which meet current and future needs of the rural and urban populations.

The Black Country: The Black Country ICS, known as 'Healthier Futures', is working with partners from across 18 local health and social care organisations to transform health and social care locally, focusing on improving the quality of services and placing local people at the centre of their care.

Together we're better - Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent: Together We're Better is the ICS for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in partnership with NHS and local government organisations, alongside independent and voluntary sector groups, working together to transform local health and care to ensure local people have access to high quality, sustainable services for the future.

East of England

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes: By working alongside councils and drawing on the expertise of others such as local charities and community groups, BLMK ICS can help local people to live healthier lives for longer, and to stay out of hospital when they do not need to be there.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS is working with health, social and mental health care providers are working together and taking joint responsibility for improving the local population's health and wellbeing, outcomes and experiences of care.

Hertfordshire and West Essex: Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS, known as 'A Healthier Future' will be responsible for setting the strategy and goals for improving health and care in our area, to create a health and care system fit for the future, with transformed services that join up around the people who use them.

Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership: Organisations responsible for providing health and care services in mid and south Essex have teamed up to meet the increasing needs of local communities whilst ensuring the services provide the best possible care in the right place when you need it.

Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership: Norfolk and Waveney ICS partnership of local health and care organisations working together to provide services to more than a million people to improve the health, wellbeing and care of people living in Norfolk and Waveney.

Suffolk and North East Essex: The vision is for people across Suffolk and North East Essex ICS to live healthier, happier lives by moving beyond individual health and care organisations working alone, to working together in an integrated way because that is the best route to helping people to thrive.

South West

Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire: The health and care needs of the local population across B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire are diverse and B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire ICS are developing a joint approach that takes this local variation into account, to drive greater efficiency and improvements in quality across the health and care system.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership: The Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership programme is founded on collaboration and integration to ensure the local people stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible with community services that everyone can be proud of.

Healthier Together Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire: Healthier Together represents a commitment to work together on improving health and care in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The partnership is about tackling the issues that matter most and finding ways to continue providing safe, high-quality care for generations to come.

One Gloucestershire:'One Gloucestershire' is the working name given to the ICS partnership between the county's NHS and care organisations, with the goal of keeping local people healthy, supporting active communities and ensuring high quality, joined up care when needed.

Our Dorset: Dorset's integrated care system, known locally as 'Our Dorset' has evolved from years of partnership working to improve services. The ambition is to see every person in Dorset stay healthy for longer and feel more confident and supported in managing their own health.

Somerset: Somerset's ICS plan aims to help bring about lasting change in local services so we can help people to improve their health while making sure they get the best care and treatment when they need it.

Devon: The Integrated Care System is a partnership of organisations who provide health and care services in Devon. Through collaborative working, it aims to transform health and care services so they are clinically, socially and financially sustainable.

South East

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West: Health and social care organisations across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) are working together across the ICS, and with partners beyond the ICS, to commission and provide health and care services to improve the health and wellbeing of the 1.8 million people living in the area.

Frimley Health and Care: Frimley Health and Care is a partnership of organisations working together to improve health and care services for the 800,000 people in the local area, with a shared vision for the best use of combined resources to make a positive difference for communities, residents, patients and staff.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICS focuses its work on developing health and care that can be improved by developing ways local people know how to stay well whilst ensuring safe, high quality, consistent and affordable health and care for our population.

Kent and Medway: The Kent and Medway ICS has been set up by local health and care leaders, focusing on how best to encourage and support better health and well-being, and provide improved and sustainable health and care services, for the population of Kent and Medway.

Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership: Surrey Heartlands ICS is a partnership of health and care organisations working together - with staff, patients, their carers, families and members of the public - to transform local services and support people to live healthier lives.

Sussex Health and Care Partnership: The Sussex Health and Care Partnership ICS takes collective action with NHS organisations and the local councils to improve the health of local people, to improve the quality of health and care services and to ensure we make the most efficient use of our resources.

London

North Central London Partners in health and care: There is a collective commitment across North Central London ICS to work with partners including councils, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS providers and other sectors to challenge these inequalities and create better futures for everyone living in North Central London.

North East London Health and Care Partnership: North East London Health and Care Partnership brings together NHS organisations, local authorities, community organisations and local people to ensure our residents can live healthier, happier lives.

North West London: The NW London Health and Care Partnership is a collaboration of over 30 organisations, including the NHS, local authorities, voluntary sector and Healthwatch, working together to serve a population of 2.4 million, improve the quality of patient care and health outcomes, while focusing on building an NHS fit for the future.

Our Healthier South East London: The South East London integrated care system brings together local health and care organisations and local councils to design care and improve population health, through shared leadership and collective action

South West London Health and Care Partnership: South West London ICS has been working collaboratively with NHS providers, local authorities, Healthwatch, and voluntary sector representatives to continue to provide health and care services for people in South West London to Start Well; Live Well; Age Well.

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Our advice for clinicians on the coronavirus is here . If you are a member of the public looking for information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19), including information about the COVID-19 vaccine, go to the NHS website. You can also find guidance and support on the GOV.UK website.

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Improving population health on the frontline -  a patient's view

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How does social prescribing fit in with wider health and care policy?

Social prescribing and similar approaches have been practised in the NHS for many years, with schemes dating back to the 1990s, and some even earlier (the Bromley by Bow Centre was established in 1984). For a long time, though, social prescribing was practised in pockets and largely unnoticed by national NHS bodies.

The past few years have seen an important change: national NHS bodies have embraced social prescribing and committed resource to rolling it out across England. The NHS five year forward view (2014) opened the door with its focus on prevention, its emphasis on the role of the voluntary and community sector, and by citing examples of social prescribing schemes having a positive impact. Subsequently, the General practice forward view (2016) noted the role voluntary and community sector organisations, and particularly social prescribing, can play alongside GP services in offering people community-based support.

The NHS long-term plan (2019) marked a step change in ambition by incorporating social prescribing into its comprehensive model of personalised care. Composed of six programmes including personalised care planning and personal health budgets, the model aims to enable people, particularly those with more complex needs, to take greater control of their health and care.

Rather than seeking to directly fund the groups that deliver social interventions, the Long-Term Plan commits funding to the link workers who connect people to the range of support and engagement opportunities - largely run by charity and voluntary organisations - in their local area. The Long-Term Plan set a target that by 2023/24 every GP practice in England will have access to a social prescribing link worker and 900,000 people will be referred by then.

Primary care networks (PCNs), groupings of GP surgeries serving populations of around 30-50,000 patients, are the channel for this resource and in many cases will host the link-worker service. In 2019, a new five-year contract framework for general practices came into effect, which allows every PCN with a population of 30,000 or more to be reimbursed the costs of employing a link worker (one full-time equivalent and more for PCNs with populations of more than 100,000). By autumn 2020 national NHS bodies were reporting that more than 1,200 link workers were in post.

Alongside funding link workers, national NHS bodies are seeking to grow the infrastructure that supports social prescribing. In 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care made £5 million available to establish a National Academy of Social Prescribing. The academy was officially formed as an independent charity in 2020, with support from a number of partner organisations, such as NHS England and NHS Improvement and Sport England; it plans to focus on raising the profile of social prescribing, building the evidence base and sharing promising practice. It also seeks to support voluntary organisations involved in social prescribing and explore funding partnerships.

Other government departments have shown a growing interest in the potential of non-clinical interventions in recent years. In 2018, the government's strategy to tackle loneliness backed the roll-out of social prescribing, and in 2020 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced funding for a two-year trial of 'green social prescribing' - initiatives intended to help people engage with the natural world.

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What Is Social Prescribing? | The King's Fund

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Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services to support their health and wellbeing. But does it work? And how does it fit in with wider health and care policy?

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Policy brief & Research report

Covid-19 has deepened inequality and fuelled a mental health crisis.

The pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health and wellbeing, and not everyone has been affected equally. Covid-19, and associated lockdowns, have accelerated and deepened existing inequality. This means we urgently need strategies which support everyone's mental health - especially people living in more disadvantaged and deprived communities.

There's clear evidence developing a healthy relationship with physical activity and being involved in linked programmatic interventions and social networks is beneficial. Research shows it can improve people's mental health, support wellbeing and resilience and help tackle social isolation.

Policy brief and research report

The Sport for Development Coalition has worked with the national mental health charity Mind, Edge Hill University and Loughborough University to produce a policy brief and research report to highlight the role of physical activity, sport and sport for development in promoting movement and mental health following Covid-19. Access the documents below.

Policy brief

In this brief, you'll find clear, evidence-based recommendations to protect and enhance the contribution of physical activity, sport, and sport for development to mental health in the UK.

Click to read

Research report

This research report has been produced to help inform Government policy and promote the benefits of community-based physical activity for everyone. It's also designed to support and inspire public bodies, funders, commissioners and policy makers as well as community-based programme providers aiming to enhance the impact of movement for mental health.

Submissions of case studies, evidence and learning

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Policy brief & Research report Covid-19 has deepened inequality and fuelled a mental health crisis. The pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health and wellbeing, and not everyone has been affected equally. Covid-19, and associated lockdowns, have accelerated and deepened existing inequality.

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A brief overview of the impacts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health. For more information see our resources section. "There is no point in life where doing more exercise does not improve health in multiple ways." Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, 2020

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A brief overview of the impacts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health. For more information see our resources section. "There is no point in life where doing more exercise does not improve health in multiple ways." Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, 2020

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Sport for Development Coalition - Moving-mental-health report

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Sport for Development Coalition - Moving-mental-health report

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Policy brief & Research report

Covid-19 has deepened inequality and fuelled a mental health crisis.

The pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health and wellbeing, and not everyone has been affected equally. Covid-19, and associated lockdowns, have accelerated and deepened existing inequality. This means we urgently need strategies which support everyone's mental health - especially people living in more disadvantaged and deprived communities.

There's clear evidence developing a healthy relationship with physical activity and being involved in linked programmatic interventions and social networks is beneficial. Research shows it can improve people's mental health, support wellbeing and resilience and help tackle social isolation.

Policy brief and research report

The Sport for Development Coalition has worked with the national mental health charity Mind, Edge Hill University and Loughborough University to produce a policy brief and research report to highlight the role of physical activity, sport and sport for development in promoting movement and mental health following Covid-19. Access the documents below.

Policy brief

In this brief you'll find clear, evidence-based recommendations to protect and enhance the contribution of physical activity, sport and sport for development to mental health in the UK.

Click to read

Research report

This research report has been produced to help inform Government policy and promote the benefits of community-based physical activity for everyone. It's also designed to support and inspire public bodies, funders, commissioners and policy makers as well as community-based programme providers aiming to enhance the impact of movement for mental health.

Click to read

Submissions of case studies, evidence and learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Policy brief & Research report Covid-19 has deepened inequality and fuelled a mental health crisis. The pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health and wellbeing, and not everyone has been affected equally. Covid-19, and associated lockdowns, have accelerated and deepened existing inequality.

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We've developed ten new stretching 'follow along' videos specifically to help people with arthritis to maintain flexibility and to help relieve stiffness.

The fifteen minutes 'follow along' format means that the videos can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. All of the exercises are designed to be done at home with some of the fun movements making use of everyday household objects.

This video series will form a key part of Let's Move, our dedicated programme funded by Sport England for people with arthritis who want more movement in their lives.

This further investment comes at a time when many of us are looking for ways either start exercising or to find the right activities which fit with our lifestyle.

The benefits of movement

Keeping active can be one of the best ways for people with arthritis to feel good, move well and live a healthier life. Strengthening and stretching the body can reduce pain, stiffness and fatigue as well as boost wellbeing.

The videos are led by physiotherapist, Jay who has expertise in arthritis and related MSK conditions. He's accompanied by James and Sylvia who have arthritis.

Seven of the videos in the series focus on a different area of the body. These include:

In addition to these videos, there's also a three-part full body stretch series to combat morning stiffness, increase flexibility during the day and to provide a relaxing evening bedtime stretch.

How do I access the videos?

To be the first to receive these videos in your email inbox, sign up to the Let's Move newsletter today.

The videos will be released weekly between October and December. You'll also be able to find them on our YouTube channel and soon they will be on our website within the exercising with arthritis resources.

If you're on Facebook why not join our Let's Move Facebook group and share your physical activity journey?

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New stretching videos to help keep moving and manage your arthritis

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We've developed ten new stretching 'follow along' videos specifically to help people with arthritis to maintain flexibility and to help relieve stiffness. The fifteen minutes 'follow along' format means that the videos can be easily incorporated into your daily routine.

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Securing the future of public leisure services (incl integration with 'health system')

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Securing the future of public leisure services (incl integration with 'health system')

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Securing future (summary) with links.pdf (apse.org.uk)