£5.5 million invested to get more people active in the West Midlands
It's part of a 10-year plan to level up access to sport
Last updated 27th Jul 2023
A 10-year plan to level up access to sport and physical activity across the West Midlands has been launched by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Sport England.
As part of a new partnership, announced to mark the first anniversary of the Commonwealth Games, the WMCA and Sport England will work together to make it easier for people from all parts of society to walk, cycle and take part in exercise and play sport more frequently.
The West Midlands has some of the highest levels of physical inactivity in England – with one third of children and over half of adults doing less than the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity.
It will be backed by an initial £5.5 million of joint funding from the WMCA’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund and National Lottery funding administered by Sport England.
Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor said: “We know from work undertaken by the West Midlands Combined Authority - including the Health of the Region report and Mental Health Commission - that there are unfortunately barriers that too many local people face when it comes to taking part in sport and physical activity.
“I’m determined to address these health inequalities and this partnership with Sport England will help us in that vital effort.
“Our Legacy Enhancement Fund - combined with additional investment from Sport England - will ensure we maximise the post Games momentum to deliver tangible benefit for local people right across our region including those from some of our most deprived communities.”
Chris Boardman, chair of Sport England, said: “Being active can change lives both physically and mentally and it’s important that we continue to support people in the grassroots to be active and make a difference for themselves and their communities.
“Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy aims to provide opportunities for all people to access sport and physical activity, regardless of their backgrounds, bank balance or postcodes, but we know that barriers for some can often be tougher to break down than others.
“This 10-year partnership will make a vital difference for people in the West Midlands, following our substantial investment into the West Midlands and Commonwealth Games last year. I’m proud to see it help people get moving and reap the benefits that being active can have for them.”
One of the clubs that will benefit from the funding is Impact Fitness in Tyseley, which runs combat sports such as freestyle wrestling and boxing.
It received equipment from the Commonwealth Games Equipment Giveaway and a £10,000 B2022 Places and Spaces grant to enhance the gym space to be safer and more inclusive.
Haniyha Kousar was introduced to martial arts and Impact Fitness Academy by her elder brothers, and having taken a particular interest in wrestling she now runs female-only wrestling classes at Impact Fitness Academy to help encourage more Muslim women to get active and open pathways for them into the sport.
She said: “As a Muslim woman I have noticed the barriers that we face in terms of both religion and culture. Even just with wrestling there are lots of things holding us back, such as clothing not catering to Muslims, with restrictions on covering, and the majority of classes being mixed, even for adults.
"So at Impact we’ve worked hard to create a space to allow women and girls to get into wrestling, even if just to keep fit and have fun. A space for females only to feel comfortable.
“The Commonwealth Games were an amazing experience. It was nice for it to be so close to home because I had the opportunity to be involved by helping to run a have-a-go event which gave 2,000 children and adults a taste of wrestling.
“Seeing the Games and watching people from our cultures winning showed us that we can achieve such things. The most inspiring part for me was seeing one of the referees for the games was a hijabi from Egypt. Seeing someone of my background reaching such a high level and performing so well in front of millions was so surreal and gave me the hope of doing the same for others.”