Celebrating our communities

The survey also demonstrates that those who are lonelier, have less social trust and feel less integrated and included, report lower life-satisfaction scores.

But when it comes to being active, it’s not all about grand marathon events, because special moments happen all year around, and up and down the country, in gyms, swimming pools, parks, courts, pitches or greens, to name but just a few.  

Coming together as a group for a shared common purpose, to connect, to be ourselves, to feel safe and to have purpose is good for our mental health, and sport and physical activity offer fantastic opportunities to foster community.

Creating inclusive environments where everyone belongs

Whether participating or cheering on our local teams, people come together to have fun, move their bodies, boost their mental health and wellbeing to celebrate or commiserate.

Movement brings incredible benefits for both mental and physical wellbeing and everyone should have the chance to experience them.

From players and umpires to volunteers, spectators, families, friends – and even our dogs! – everyone has a role to play in creating welcoming spaces.

Clubhouses, cricket greens, parks, and sports halls can be vibrant, inclusive environments where people feel encouraged to participate, connect and enjoy themselves.

The sport and physical activity community is filled with wisdom, experience and creativity, and there are so many ways to get involved.

Here are just a few practical ideas to bring this vision to life:

• invite a friend or colleague to join you on a walk – you don’t have to walk a marathon, think of short, pleasurable distances at least to start with
• as an organisation, maybe add an extra low-key activity before or after your weekly training or game to provide time for connecting as a community – maybe open up the clubhouse and invite people to have a cup of tea and cake
• open up a club session to include family members and friends, perhaps have a fun introduction to the game that is accessible and suitable for those you want to attract
• organise a volunteering activity which benefits the club or local community and  bring people together to help meet a need, such as painting the club house, organising the store cupboard that hasn’t been sorted since 1974, or hosting an afternoon tea party for a residential home.  

The key thing is to think about those who may feel isolated or going through a low point in their lives and to let them know they’re not by themselves – that they’re part of something bigger, a community that moves, in which there’s space for everybody and that shouldn't let anyone behind.