Launch of Together Active’s Step Up Strategy

Together Active has launched its new strategy to support the residents of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to lead healthier lives through physical activity.

It follows recent figures from Sport England revealing that 1 in 3 people in Stoke and 1 in 4 people in Staffordshire get less than 30 minutes of moderate activity per week. This can mean a brisk walk, gardening or cycling.

Guidance from the Chief Medical Officer say that adults should be moderately active for two and a half hours per week.

Jude Taylor, CEO of Together Active, commented,

“The people of our county face a range of challenges when it comes to being physically active. 22% of adults in Staffordshire have a limiting long-term illness, which rises to 53% in older people. 20.8% of people in Stoke are experiencing deprivation due to low incomes. And 12.8% of adults in Stoke have no qualifications. These are all factors which can limit how active someone is.

“We’ve worked hard to develop our new strategy through consultation and research. We know that being physically active adds healthy years to people’s lives, and we want that to be something everyone can have access to.”

The Step Up Strategy will see the charity working closely with local authorities and health services to develop new routes to being active.

“We will be focusing more on supporting people facing financial disadvantage and those with health conditions and disabilities,” Jude continues. “For example, we know that there are huge challenges around mental health and obesity in the area, particularly for young people, and we believe that by helping them develop a love of movement, we can reduce the impacts these conditions have on people’s lives.”

According to the latest statistics, 26% of Reception-aged children are overweight or obese in Staffordshire, and 40.5% of children in Stoke are overweight or obese by Year 6. An estimated 12.8% of 5 to 19-year-olds in Stoke have a mental health disorder.

Together Active, an Active Partnership, has supported over 40 community organisations with more than £200,000 of funding over the course of the pandemic.

“Physical activity is going to play a huge role in the COVID recovery,” said Jude. “Physically and mentally for individuals, but also for the local economy. Our strategy will see us playing a key part in tackling inequality with activity, making it more accessible for everyone.”

Read the full strategy below.

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