With the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, our CEO Clare Morley talks about what it means for physical activity and discusses aspects not included in the latest report.

“I’m sure it won’t have escaped your attention that the long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper has been published this week. Inevitably, it has both its critics and its supporters. But what does it mean in terms of how physical activity is (or isn’t) recognised as having a part to play in the levelling up agenda? With Sir Michael Marmot’s concept of “building back fairer” being a key priority within our own strategy here at Rise, we were intrigued to see more. 

The published information to date does leave some significant questions about the role of physical activity unanswered, including in the following areas: 

• What can/should the role of physical activity and movement be in the 55 new Education Investment Areas (EIAs)? The paper talks about wanting 90% of children in primary schools to achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by 2030, and talks of retaining teachers in “high-priority subjects”, but what are the targets around expected levels of wellbeing in our children and young people? What is the plan for ensuring we have highly skilled PE teachers within our schools who are valued as importantly as their counterparts in other subjects, and indeed that PE is a “high-priority subject” as well?  The connection between wellbeing and educational achievement is well-documented, as is the importance of physical activity for wellbeing, so we must join up these agendas at departmental level within Government. 

• The paper recognises that poor diet and obesity are big contributors to ill-health. Whilst it talks about opportunities to take forward a National Food Strategy, it sadly doesn’t go into detail around the social determinants of health (the social, cultural, political, economic, commercial and environmental factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age) or physical activity, and how addressing the barriers that prevent opportunities to move more can also have a significant impact on healthy weight. 

• There is reference to a figure of £24bn being invested into “roads and motorways”, but only £5bn being invested in “buses, cycling and walking”. If we want to provide opportunities for everyone to travel more actively, regardless of their demographics, and to drive down emissions as part of our climate change commitments, then surely there is an imbalance here between maintaining/improving the status quo and taking bold steps to shift to a more active mode of travel. Where does Active Travel England’s remit fit into all of this? 

• Will the Office for Place ensure that the 20 towns and cities identified for regeneration of brownfield sites also ensure that those places have safe, green, walkable neighbourhoods that encourage and support all of us to move more, alongside the “architectural aesthetics” that “gladden the eye and lift the heart” which are referenced in the paper? 

• And finally, there is specific reference to funding for improving football facilities and provision. Whilst this investment is welcome, it should be recognised that this is also potentially quite a niche investment; in the latest Sport England Active Lives survey, walking (for leisure and travel; cycling (for leisure, travel and sport); running/athletics and fitness classes all reported higher levels of participation amongst adults than football. Whilst in part this will be connected to the impact of lockdowns during the research period, the trend data over the last few years also shows the same results. At Rise, we recently undertook some really insightful poverty proofing training with some of our School Games Organisers, delivered by Children North East. That has certainly helped me to better understand that having shiny new or refurbished football facilities in the community isn’t going to help those many people living in poverty who have no time to play as they juggle numerous jobs and/or caring responsibilities, who can’t afford the football boots or who don’t want to be the only person on the pitch not wearing a branded shirt or able to afford the team kit. 

Football can, and does, do some wonderful things for many, many people, but surely, as shown above, there is a greater role for wider physical activity, movement and sport to play in the levelling up agenda.”