About Us
What is the Physical Activity Alliance?
The Department for Health Physical Activity Strategy ‘Be Active, Be Healthy’, has announced the support of the Department of Health for the new Physical Activity Alliance.
The Physical Activity Alliance is a sector led organisation comprised of leading physical activity promoting organisations.
The Alliance will be responsible for promoting physical activities that are fun, sociable and accessible to people of all abilities. It will seek to improve the use of evidence that shows the benefits of physical activity to ensure that suitable levels of investment are made. The Alliance will also provide considerable political strength to the promotion of physical activity to Government at a variety of levels. Finally, the Alliance will act as a partner to the Department of Health on initiatives of national significance.
William Bird, Chair of the Interim Operational Board of the Alliance said, “The Alliance has been working with the Department of Health since April 2008 to receive this support.”
It is now focused on developing into an organisation that adds clear value to partners in government, the sector and the local and regional delivery networks. It will spread best practice and work to remove the frustrations and limitations that prevent more from being achieved. The Chief Medical Officer proved in 2004 that physical activity is a vital tool of primary care. This body will help transform this evidence into concerted and sustained action.
The Alliance is led by an Interim Operational Board, whose members are drawn from organisations across the sector. These individuals act in a personal capacity as members of the Interim Operational Board, rather than as representatives of their organisations.
The Interim Operational Board members are:
| William Bird (Chair) |
Outdoor Health Forum |
| Daran Bennett |
Exercise, Movement and Dance Partnership |
| Andrew Hanson |
CCPR |
| Mark Harrod |
YMCA |
| Philip Insall |
Sustrans |
| Paul Jarvis |
Regional Physical Activity Leads |
| Soina McGeorge |
British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health |
| David Teasdale |
Amateur Swimming Association and Business in Sport and Leisure |
| Paul Lincoln |
National Heart Forum |
| David Walker |
CABE Space |
| Steven Ward |
Fitness Industry Association |
The Interim Steering Group which provides strategic advice to the Interim Operational Board consists of:
| William Bird (Chair) |
Outdoor Health Forum |
| Christine Double | County Sport Partnerships Network |
| Paul Lincoln | National Heart Forum |
| Prof. Alan Maryon-Davies |
Faculty of Public Health |
| Rosi Prescott | YMCA |
| Victoria Reynolds |
Walk England |
| Brigid Simmonds |
CCPR |
| Steven Skelton |
Local Government Association |
| Dave Stalker |
Fitness Industry Association |
| Observers |
|
| Geoff Dessent |
Deputy Director,Health Wellbeing, DH |
Mihir Warty Sport England
Support from the Department for Health
The Department for Health has stated its support for the Physical Activity Alliance within its physical activity strategy ‘Be Active, Be Healthy’. The Department sets out its view of the role and responsibilities of the Alliance as follows:
- To provide a single voice for the physical activity sector in England including developing and promoting the evidence base for physical activity and promoting the sector to government, to industry and to the public.
- To work with established local and regional networks to support delivery of physical activity at a local level.
- To strengthen the impact of physical activity funding and promotions by coordinating activities and campaigns (for example, encouraging active ageing).
- To build upon the strengths and assets of individual members to create solutions that offers a range of activities within a common, evidence-based framework (for example, creating community-based physical activity opportunities for patients with long-term conditions).
- To develop projects and promotions across the physical activity sector that could not be achieved by member organisations acting individually (for example, adoption of common evaluation frameworks).
- To develop national partnerships to increase the capacity and resources to promote physical activity, with particular focus on the private sector.
- To undertake discrete national projects commissioned by the Government.
