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New partnership to support pregnant women to be active

We'll work with The Active Pregnancy Foundation to make it easier for expectant and new mums to be physically active.

7th August 2025

We’ve agreed a new partnership with The Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF) to build on our shared mission to support pregnant women and new mums to be active.

With an investment of more than £250,000 of National Lottery funding, we’ll work together to break down the barriers that often prevent women staying physically active during and after pregnancy.

A pregnant woman stretches up while doing yoga in a studio.

Our partnership with the charity, which was founded in 2020, will specifically focus on women living with disabilities, facing mental health challenges, or at risk of long-term health conditions.

That reflects the ambitions of Uniting the Movement, our 10-year strategy to ensure that everyone – regardless of their background, circumstances or bank balance – has the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity. 

"We’re proud to partner with The Active Pregnancy Foundation," said Joanne Cound, our head of investment.

"This partnership will make an enormous impact – not just to individual women’s lives, but to the wider system supporting maternal health and physical activity."

A pregnant woman works out on a rowing machine.

Pregnant and post-natal women are one of the least active groups and are often underserved by the sport and physical activity sector – despite the critical role of physical activity in improving maternal and infant health.

A growing body of evidence shows that being physically active during pregnancy can reduce the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and post-natal depression by as much as 67%.

It’s why these women are among the main target audiences in the latest phase of our This Girl Can campaign, as we know the groups who face the greatest barriers to exercise have the most to gain.

Dr Marlize De Vivo, the APF’s co-chief executive, described the partnership as a "game-changer" for women's health.

She said: "It gives us the resources and recognition to reach more women than ever, and unapologetically focus on driving system-wide change where it’s needed most.

"We founded the charity at a time when women’s health was still largely overlooked and undervalued. It’s taken time, energy and a stubborn optimism to get to where we are today. 

"We’re proud of the progress made and deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. This partnership fuels our commitment to rewriting the story of women’s health."

Two women stretch in a park, while leaning on push chairs

Today’s announcement marks the strengthening of our relationship with the APF, which was launched during the first lockdown five years ago.

We’ve previously supported This Mum Moves, the fantastic range of workout content for pregnant women and new mums that’s now being delivered by the foundation.

In 2021 we teamed up with the APF and Moving Medicine on Active Mums Start with You, designed to help healthcare professionals talk openly with expectant and new mums about how to exercise safely.

And the foundation also endorsed our project with Couch to Fitness to create tailor-made programmes for women to be active at home during and after pregnancy.

"This partnership gives us the resources and recognition to reach more women than ever, and unapologetically focus on driving system-wide change where it’s needed most."

Dr Marlize De Vivo

Co-chief executive, The Active Pregnancy Foundation

The charity has built a national presence by educating and supporting those who work with pregnant and post-natal women, raising industry standards, and addressing and highlighting knowledge gaps.

It has also worked to bring sectors together to create the change needed to make it easier for women to be active throughout their childbearing years.

Find out more

The Active Pregnancy Foundation

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