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Pride Month provides an opportunity to celebrate visibility and community around the world.

But this time it is also an opportunity to reflect on what inclusion in sport and physical activity really means for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans/Non-Binary and other Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) people.

Conversations about inclusion often focus on participation.

We want to know how many people are taking part, how often they are active or whether activity levels are increasing, but when it comes to answering these questions for LGBTQ+ communities, the picture is more nuanced than many might think.

What the data says

The latest Active Lives Adult Survey (November 2024–25) shows that some members of the LGBTQ+ communities are now more active than their heterosexual or cisgender peers.

However, one in three trans adults (33%), and just under one in three (30%) respondents who described their sexual orientation as ‘other’, are active for less than 30 minutes per week.

Additionally, LGBTQ+ people are also more likely to experience discrimination in sport and physical activity settings, and also less likely to report feelings of belonging in our local communities.

These findings challenge the assumption that LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport and physical activity has been achieved simply because certain activity levels look favourable.

The real work on LGBTQ+ inclusion is in ensuring that members of the communities can participate in environments where we feel safe, welcome and able to be ourselves.

Accessible and Inclusive Futures

Earlier this week, we welcomed Lou Englefield from Pride Sports to lead a webinar for colleagues in the sector on LGBTQ+ inclusion as part of our Accessible and Inclusive Futures series, delivered in partnership with Inclusive Employers.

The session outlined the challenges LGBTQ+ people face across the sporting landscape and explored what organisations and individuals can do to improve cultures and environments, rather than just participation figures.

Being your whole self while being active

Lou talked us through Pride Sport’s research findings, which show that whilst many LGBTQ+ adults are active, we tend to favour solo pursuits such as walking, running, swimming or going to the gym, over team-based activities.

Additionally, those of us who do take part in traditional or team sports don’t always feel comfortable sharing our gender identity or sexual orientation with the teammates around us.

The figures were particularly stark for bisexual men and women, with only 22% and 26% respectively, reporting that either everyone, or most people, are aware of their sexual orientation in the sport they play.

Why this matters

The findings from Pride Sports matter because they highlight the hidden effort that many LGBTQ+ people put into deciding whether it is safe to be open about who they are.

Research on Minority Stress Theory shows that LGBTQ+ people experience stress from discrimination itself, but also from anticipating negative reactions and feeling the need to hide parts of their identity.

Different studies show that concealing your sexual orientation or gender identity can negatively impact wellbeing, whereas feeling able to be yourself is linked to better mental health outcomes and a stronger sense of belonging.

So, whilst many LGBTQ+ people might be achieving positive activity levels, they may not be experiencing all the social connectivity and wellbeing benefits that we know sport can provide.

Creating welcoming spaces

Creating more inclusive environments does not necessarily require large-scale programmes or significant investment.

It often begins with listening.

Organisations can start by building authentic relationships with LGBTQ+ communities and asking people directly about their experiences, needs and aspirations.

In our webinar, Lou suggested that organisations could start by reviewing the policies and processes that shape participants' experiences, including:

• codes of conduct
• membership and registration forms
• equality, diversity and inclusion policies
• trans and non-binary inclusion policies
• safeguarding procedures
• reporting and complaints processes.

The human role of creating inclusive cultures

As well as policies, people matter too and it is our coaches, volunteers, instructors, officials and front-line staff who often have the most significant influence on whether individual participants feel welcome.

Inclusive practice isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about allyship and respect, as well as avoiding assumptions about identity, relationships or pronouns, using inclusive language and being open to learning from participants' experiences.

A welcoming coach or teammate can be what turns participation into belonging.

Looking ahead with Pride

Across the UK and Europe, LGBTQ+ sports clubs and events continue to create spaces where inclusion is built in, not bolted on.

Next year, Pride Sports will host the EuroGames in Cardiff, welcoming thousands of LGBTQ+ athletes to celebrate participation, diversity and belonging through sport.

Events like these remind us that the goal isn't simply to increase participation, but to create environments where everyone feels safe, respected and that they belong.

Because the true measure of inclusion is not just looking at who takes part – it's who feels they belong.

 

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is here and this year we’re focusing on taking action to protect and improve our mental health.

But to make a meaningful change we need other people, as actions taken with others have a bigger impact on our mental health and are more sustainable.

That’s why we’re delighted to be partnering with Sport England for a third year, continuing our shared commitment to championing movement, community and having fun as a powerful boost for mental wellbeing.

The link between movement and wellbeing

Our partnership with Sport England has helped us reach organisations and grassroots sports groups across England, bringing them into MHAW and shining a light on the vital role they play in supporting mental health.

As part of the campaign, local clubs, community groups and physical activity organisations have been able to showcase the work they do and how sport and movement helps people feel connected, supported and mentally well, as well as inspire people to take part and feel the benefits of being active. 

This year the theme of MHAW is ‘Action’ and we’re encouraging people to move in order to support good mental health for themselves, for someone else and for the community. 

Every person can do something about prioritising and managing their mental health – the key is moving from auto-pilot to recognising what is not working and to developing a plan accordingly. 

Boxing is my religion. Like all spiritual journeys it began with a moment of divine inspiration and my baptism was conducted whilst watching Muhammed Ali defeat George Foreman in “The Rumble In The Jungle”.

I grew up in boxing gyms with the sport giving me purpose, discipline and titles – including representing my country on numerous occasions.

These days it offers me the chance to inspire the next generation of boxers and to help anyone who walks through the gym door, to believe in themselves and choose a positive path in life. 

When people ask me why boxing matters so much to me, my answer is simple: it changes and saves lives.

A safe space for all

Of course, it also improves health and builds confidence, but boxing keeps people – especially young people – away from anti-social behaviour and crime, something that I can personally verify as a former Youth Justice Manager. 

With the number of proven offences committed by children seeing an increase of 4%, change has never been so important and there are many ways boxing helps fight crime.

Firstly, boxing gives young people structure and boundaries.



Many of the children and young people who walk through the doors of a boxing gym – like mine in Oldham, Greater Manchester – come from difficult backgrounds and have challenging lives. 

Having little or no access to opportunities and therefore a lack of agency in the world, may result in challenging behaviours. But not dealing with these pressures means they risk spilling out onto the streets and that’s where crime starts. 

Not because young people are 'bad', but because they have nowhere positive to pour their energy into. But boxing gyms can change that, as these spaces are built on discipline, respect, routine and team spirit.

You don’t just turn up to your gym whenever you feel like it. Instead, you’re expected to train on time, plus you have to listen to your coach, and you learn that effort leads to results and that shortcuts rarely work.

These lessons transfer directly into everyday life and children who understand discipline in a boxing gym are far less likely to make reckless decisions outside it.

Boxing also teaches emotional control, becasue contrary to what some may think, this sport helps a young person understand how to control their emotions, particularly aggression, and how to think and act under pressure.

I’ve seen it first hand – children who once lashed out can calm themselves because boxing gave them an outlet for their emotions and that allows them to thrive.

The many lessons of boxing

Boxing is a good metaphor for life and can help to develop those personal and social skills that people need, contributing to tackling deep seated worklessness and low aspirations.

The sport also fosters the development of positive character, self-esteem, self-discipline, courage, perseverance and resilience.

Instead of throwing punches on the street, they hit the pads, the bags and their coach or opponent inside the ring, but always with respect to the sport’s rules, under supervision and with a reason.

Boxing also teaches respect — for yourself and for others. You shake hands, you follow rules and you learn that real strength comes from self-control, not intimidation. These values reduce crime at its roots.

Another factor that's key is the sense of belonging among those practising the sport. A boxing gym offers identity and loyalty because, at a gym, you’re part of a team.

You train together, look out for each other and you wear the gym name with pride. That sense of identity can pull someone away from a path that leads to anti-social behaviour and crime.

I’ve seen boxing change lives in Oldham and Greater Manchester, where young people that were heading toward trouble now have focus and a reason to stay on the straight and narrow, and I’ve also seen young people who had no confidence, find self-belief.

Not all these children will become a champion boxer and that's okay.

Building better lives through sport

The real victories happen when a young person chooses to stay in school, can find a job or simply chooses not to commit a crime because they don’t want to let their gym or coach down.

At our newly refurbished Greater Manchester Boxing and Development Hub, we’ve been lucky enough to benefit from Sport England funding. 

To my mind, our investors aren’t just putting money into a boxing club and community gym. They’re investing in crime prevention and harm minimisation.

It costs less to fund a gym than it does to deal with the consequences of crime and anti-social behaviour – policing, court cases, prison and reform – as recent estimates place the total economic and social cost of serious youth violence at £11 billion between 2009 and 2020.

For me, boxing is more than titles and trophies, it’s about giving people a chance.

Every time a young person chooses to walk into a gym and away from 'the road', I believe that’s crime prevention in action and that’s why boxing will always matter. 

As one of the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, Oldham forms part of Sport England’s Place Partnership with Greater Manchester Moving and other local bodies to implement Sport England's Uniting the Movement strategy for getting people active.

I’m proud of what boxing can do to change lives.

In the words of the iconic social activist, pacifist and politician, Nelson Mandela: “Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.”

Every day, I get to see the truth in these great words in action.

 

January is a difficult month for many of us. It’s dark, cold, wet and the glow of the festive season feels a long time ago.

But it’s also a moment when millions of people make a conscious decision to reset – to move more and invest in their health.

That’s why January matters so much for gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres. It’s consistently their busiest month of the year and not just because of New Year’s resolutions.

But beyond the first month of the year, there is a growing understanding that physical activity is preventative medicine and that a healthy population drives a healthy economy.

The places we move are of critical importance.

Earlier this week, alongside ukactive, I visited three very different facilities in one day – across both the public and private sector.

What struck me was how similar the stories were.

Operators talked about strong footfall, rising memberships and people coming through the doors for more than just exercise.

They’re coming for health, of course – but also for confidence, connection, and support.

This feels vitally important in a time that is characterised by increasing isolation, screens and polarised views.

Spaces open to everybody

Another feature which stood out was the remarkable diversity of the people there – from teenagers arriving in their uniforms after school, to the group of retirees who had originally been referred by the next door hospital and now were coming four days a week (and spending as much time over lunch as in the class).

It was also fantastic to see the level of innovation and use of technology to bring health and leisure closer together – with sophisticated health checks, devising personalised programmes for each individual, linking to 'e-gyms' and other virtual support.

This is the preventative health agenda in action. It’s getting active from the ground up and it sits at the heart of our ambition at Sport England, working with our partners to help millions more people become active.

January brings this ambition to life, but the real story is what’s happening year-round.

The scale and growth of the gym and leisure sector are significant.

The UK Health & Fitness Market Report 2025 shows a record 11.5 million people are now members of a health or fitness club – up 6.1% on the previous year – with 616 million facility visits recorded, an increase of 8.2%.

These are not short-term spikes. Participation has been growing over consecutive years, supported by a unique infrastructure of public, private, large, medium and independent operators working across the country.

 

Sport England’s Active Lives Adults survey 2023-24 reinforces this picture.

Fitness activities and swimming continue to be major drivers of physical activity behind walking, with 904,000 more adults taking part compared to the previous year.

Demand is being driven by what people value most.

Polling from ukactive shows that 77% of members join a gym or leisure facility primarily to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

People also cite better sleep, increased confidence, managing health conditions and making new friends. This is about quality of life, not just physical fitness.

We’re also seeing important shifts in who is taking part. Female participation continues to grow, particularly through group exercise and classes.

Projects like Safer Spaces to Move, delivered with This Girl Can, are helping to remove barriers and make facilities more welcoming and safer for women.

Key community assets

Our latest Moving Communities report shows participation in public leisure has increased for every age group over 45, while gym activity is rising among under-16s, over-65s and people living in the most deprived communities.

Since 2017, the number of children and young people taking part in gym and fitness activity has increased by more than 12%.

Standards matter too. Facilities are improving every year, driven by initiatives such as The Active Standard, Quest and FitCert, ensuring that quality, safety and inclusion keep pace with growing demand.

All of this sits squarely within the Government’s priorities for economic growth and improving the NHS through the 10-year plan.

Health drives wealth and the social value created by being active is immense.

The sector contributes £122.9 billion in social value each year, including £15.9 billion in healthcare savings and £106.9 billion in wellbeing value – the equivalent of £2,600 per active adult – and more than double that for people with long-term health conditions or disabilities.

We gain £6 billion in productivity, thanks to a healthier workforce that takes fewer sick days.

The sector creates £5.7 billion in revenue and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, many for young people at the start of their working lives.

These are extraordinary numbers.

January is important. But the real opportunity lies beyond it.

Gyms and leisure centres are not just places we go at the start of the year; they – and the people that work in them – are essential community assets, powering healthier lives, stronger communities and a more resilient economy all year round.