Coventry awarded Sport England funding to boost physical activity in the city
It's one of 27 places set to benefit from a share of £250m funding
Coventry is set to receive funding to boost levels of physical activity in communities with the greatest need.
The city is one of the 27 places set to benefit from a share of Sport England’s £250 million investment across England.
The fund is designed to tackle inactivity and inequalities by making sport, physical activity and movement accessible for everyone.
Sport England research calculates that active lifestyles save £8 billion a year for the healthcare system through illness prevention.
Councillor Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport at Coventry City Council, welcomed the news: “I’m delighted that Coventry has been chosen as one of just 27 places in the country to benefit from this important funding.
“Our mission here in Coventry is to get as many people as possible active – whether that’s through being part of a sports team, taking regular walks or even young children playing out with their friends – being active at any age significantly improves health outcomes.
“We’ve already made great progress, and I’m incredibly proud of the hard work delivered by the Council and all of our partners across the city of Coventry.
“Thanks to this funding from Sport England, we will now be able to build on that momentum and ensure even more people benefit from the power of physical activity.”
Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Sport England’s Executive Director for Place, said: “We want everyone, no matter where they live or who they are, to have the chance to be active and healthy. To do this, we’re focusing on places, towns, cities, and communities, where people face the biggest challenges.
“We are proud to announce a further 27 new Sport England place partnerships, in every corner of the country, bringing the total number of places we are working with to more than 90.
“We are committed to working with local partners and communities to break down the barriers to physical activity so that everyone has equal access to a more active life. We are excited to see what we can achieve together in Coventry.”
Details of how the funding will be spent will be announced in the coming months.