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24 Aug 2022 | 13:13

ukactive has announced that National Fitness Day 2022 will focus on the mental, physical and social benefits of staying active when it takes place next month. 

The Coalition will support the annual event on Wednesday 21st September as it highlights the power of physical activity to support mental and physical wellbeing amid the pressures being faced by communities and individuals in the cost-of-living crisis which has followed the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The aims of National Fitness Day mirror the ambition of the Coalition’s #OpenGoal framework and campaign which calls for funding across Government departments to be ring-fenced for targeted sport and physical activity-based interventions that have been proven to tackle growing health and societal inequalities, for example by generating wider outcomes such as reduced crime and increased employability and social cohesion.

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The theme for National Fitness Day 2022 is ‘Fitness Unites Us’, and this year the campaign will highlight the role played by ukactive’s members in supporting not only people’s physical health but their mental wellbeing. The day will see thousands of events across the UK celebrating the fun of fitness and physical activity, bringing people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities together to recognise the physical, social and mental benefits being physically active brings and how it can help to level up communities facing disadvantage and deprivation. 

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “We recognise the huge pressures facing people in the UK today due to the cost-of-living crisis and the recent pandemic, each of which has threatened our mental and physical health. 

“The physical activity sector is uniquely placed to help the nation by supporting people’s physical and mental strength, which is why National Fitness Day is more important than ever. We want to shine a light on the incredible stories from our sector which show the importance of physical activity to the nation’s future health, happiness and productivity.” 

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A new Activity and Location Finder has been launched listing activities, events, facilities and digital opportunities from across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, so that people can find where to take part in free activities on National Fitness Day. 

ukactive is also working in partnership with ITN to produce a special programme which will raise awareness of the day and showcase what the physical activity sector can offer all year round to support people’s physical, mental and social wellbeing. 

To find out more about National Fitness Day or to register your location or activity visit www.nationalfitnessday.com or you can share what you are up to across social media using #FitnessDay. 

ukactive and the Sport for Development Coalition are members of the National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) which recently called on Government to support radical reform to support the growth and development of the sector in its ‘Unlocking the Potential’ report. The NSPG also includes Active Partnerships, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), the Local Government Association, the Sport and Recreation Alliance and the Youth Sport Trust.