Taxonomy term

On Tuesday, I took part in a cross-sector forum on tackling antisemitism, convened by the Prime Minister at a time of increased violence, harassment and intimidation towards many Jewish people in the UK. 

Sport England was invited to the event at 10 Downing Street because the government wanted to understand what we are already doing to tackle antisemitism in our sector and where more urgent, concrete action is needed.  

The Prime Minister called it a “crisis” and urged us as sector leaders to “eradicate antisemitism from every corner of society”.

Leaders of Jewish organisations then gave examples of the treatment that individual Jewish people have recently faced.

In discussions that followed, chaired by our Secretary of State Lisa Nandy, I was clear that while Sport England stands with the Jewish community against any form of discrimination or abuse, sport can and must do more.

Sport's role in tackling racism

At Sport England we will continue to use our position to demand greater equity, equality, diversity and inclusion at all levels. 

Antisemitism is racism, and there is no place for hatred, harassment or discrimination against Jewish people, or any other group, in sport or society. We will always call it out, challenge it, and stand against it. 

Yet antisemitic incidents remain alarmingly high, the latest taking place only this week. Grassroots sport events and matches were among the examples given, where both children and adults have been subject to abuse because they are Jewish.

Almost half of all faith-based discrimination reported to Kick It Out in the last football season was antisemitic. That should concern all of us. 

What we’re doing 

At Sport England, tackling racism and inequality is fundamental to our role as a public body and as a leader within the sporting system. 

Over the last five years, we’re worked extensively with the other home nation sports councils to embed the long-term, system-wide changes recommended by the Race in Sport Review. 

But the discussions at Downing Street were a timely reminder that we must be explicit as well as consistent.  

While antisemitism is covered within our broader anti‑racism work, we recognise the need for deeper understanding, better evidence and clearer action. 

That’s why we’ve committed funding to research antisemitism and Islamophobia in sport, with a strong focus on lived experience.  

Too much of what we currently know is anecdotal. Listening directly to people affected is essential if we are to design the right interventions and support meaningful change. 

We’ve chosen to consider antisemitism and Islamophobia together because hatred doesn’t exist in silos. Jewish and Muslim communities both face rising abuse rooted in religious and racial discrimination.  

If we are serious about tackling racism, we must take a consistent, credible approach to tackling hatred in all its forms. 
 

As a funder of sport and physical activity in England, we’ll also continue to use our governance role to drive change.  

Through the Code for Sports Governance we developed with UK Sport, funded organisations are required to have robust diversity and inclusion action plans, backed by data, accountability and regular review.  

And we’ve committed additional resources to help partners turn their commitments into action. 

Alongside system reform, we continue to fund projects that support Jewish communities to be active in ways that are safe, inclusive and culturally appropriate, from community fitness spaces to swimming and wellbeing programmes. 

Backing words with action 

But funding alone isn’t enough. As I said at the forum, we won’t be silent on this subject and we will act. 

We’ll continue to speak out publicly and consistently when racism occurs.  

We will convene partners to shape and complete our research on antisemitism and Islamophobia in sport, and share the findings openly across the system, and we will work with colleagues in the arts and culture sectors with whom I spoke on Tuesday.  

Our sector can and should be part of the solution, but only if we’re willing to listen, learn and act with urgency. 

Hatred thrives in silence. Inclusion requires leadership. And stamping out all forms of racism, including antisemitism, is vital if sport is truly to be for everyone. 

Sport has the power to bring people together across communities, backgrounds and beliefs.

At No10 I used the example of the boys’ football team I coach as a place where lads and their families from all backgrounds come together to build relationships. And we know that sports teams, clubs and community groups all over England can do the same.
 

Children and young people today are creative, passionate, and full of potential.

Their energy and ambition feel hopeful in a world that often feels uncertain and unstable.

But they’re also facing new challenges: social media addiction, rising mental health concerns, climate anxiety.

In 2025, parents, teachers, and leaders across the country voiced concerns about a growing disconnect between online and offline life.

School absence is rising; wellbeing is worsening. And physical inactivity remains a stubborn problem: more than half of children aren’t active enough.

The inequalities are stark. Children from less affluent families are far less likely to be active than wealthier peers.

Girls remain less active than boys, and Black and Asian children are less likely to be active than White children.

If these trends continue at pace, we could be heading for a children’s health crisis within a decade.

The Youth Sport Trust’s (YST) Class of 2035 report warns that without robust action, we’ll see soaring screen time, rising obesity, disengagement from education, and more children diagnosed with diseases like Type 2 diabetes – a condition once almost exclusive to adulthood.

But this isn’t a story of despair, it’s a call to action.

And the good news? We are making progress - and 2025 was testament to this.

Promising Signs of Progress

In December 2025, Sport England data shows children’s activity levels are now at their highest since the first Active Lives Survey in 2018.

Half a million more children are meeting the UK Chief Medical Officers’ guideline of 60 minutes of activity a day compared to seven years ago.

That’s thanks to the incredible work of schools, clubs, and community organisations and the people that run them.

Government action has also been integral.

The National Youth Strategy can be a landmark moment, creating more opportunities for young people to connect offline - and sport has a huge role to play.

Its emphasis on being shaped by young people is vital: policy done with young people, not to them.

The commitment to halt the decline in PE and ensure at least two hours of reimagined PE each week is another big step forward, as is the ambition to increase access to enrichment activities.
 

The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network can build on past progress.

Campaigns like Let’s Move from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and YST’s Inclusion 2028 programme (funded by the Department for Education) show what’s possible when national leadership meets local delivery.

Let’s Move is inspiring families to get active together.

Inclusion 2028 is empowering children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to thrive through PE, school sport, and physical activity.

These initiatives prove that inclusive change is possible - and it’s already happening.

All this is happening against the backdrop Sport England’s £250m investment in place-based partnerships across more than 90 communities.

Why Movement Matters and Our Vision for 2026

Physical activity is often called the 'miracle cure' by medical experts - and for excellent reason.

It boosts physical and mental health, reduces stress and improves mood. And it’s a social salve too, helping to forge friendships and build connection across communities in the face of the polarising online world.

It’s also fantastic for people and the public purse; every £1 invested in community sport and activity generates over £4 for the economy and society.

School and community sport aren’t 'nice to have'; they’re essential for healthy development.

Research consistently shows us that active children are happier, more resilient and perform better at school.

And building good activity habits young is key for our country’s future health and wealth: active children are more likely to become active adults who enjoy better health, greater productivity and place less strain on the NHS.

That’s why we need to make movement easy and normal everywhere: in schools, communities, families, parks, and urban spaces.

This means working with partners beyond education, like UK Youth and community sport organisations, to embed activity into where young people live and socialise.

Sport England’s place partnerships have some fantastic examples of this happening from the ground up – from JU:MP in Braford to Move Together Blackpool.

Young people must be at the heart of this change. They want experiences that are fun and engaging; not just minutes of activity to be ticked off to hit targets.

Here’s what we think just some of the opportunities to achieve getting every child active in 2026 are:

• a return to longer school breaks to give children more time to move and play.
• increasing uptake of Always Active Uniform, building on new national guidance and making being active easier and more comfortable – particularly for girls and children with SEND.
• greater restrictions on social media use for children, to free up time and attention for real-world play.
• protecting the real-world places and spaces that children get active and play in
• advocate for child-first coaching: supporting coaches to give children and young people voice and choice in physical activity. The Play their Way campaign is a fantastic example of child-first coaching in action.  

By rethinking existing policy and being bold, we can create system-wide changes that deliver a healthier, happier future for every child.

Our Mission and Call to Action

Our mission is clear: to inspire a generation that loves to move by making physical activity and everyday movement a normal part of life - giving every child 60 minutes of PE, sport, and play every day.

This is a cornerstone of Youth Sport Trust’s Inspiring Changemakers, Building Belonging strategy and Sport England’s next phase of Uniting the Movement. Working with schools, communities and families, we will redouble our efforts to create experiences that build the foundations for an active life.

Together, we can create a future where every child and young person has the opportunity to move, connect and thrive through sport and physical activity.
 

The publication of Youth Matters, the Government’s first national youth strategy in 15 years, sets an important direction for how we support young people over the next decade.

For us at Sport England, it also reinforces a clear message: if we are serious about improving young people’s wellbeing, connection and opportunities, sport and physical activity must be central to that ambition.

This response is not simply a welcome of the strategy, but a statement of intent.

It sets out why Youth Matters is important to our work, what young people have told us they need, and how our sector can help turn the strategy’s ambitions into meaningful change in places and communities across the country.

What young people are telling us

The strategy reflects what young people themselves have been saying for some time.

Many feel increasingly socially isolated, are worried about their mental wellbeing and financial security, and want to feel safer and more connected in their communities.

Crucially, they are also clear about what would most improve their daily lives: access to affordable, welcoming recreational and leisure opportunities, and the support of trusted adults.

These insights matter.

They underline the importance of spaces where young people can come together in person, build confidence, develop relationships and feel a sense of belonging – particularly at a time when pressures on services, families and communities are growing.

Why sport and physical activity matter

Sport and physical activity are not a 'nice to have' in responding to these challenges.

They provide proven, evidence-backed ways to support young people’s physical and mental wellbeing, create positive relationships with trusted adults, and strengthen connection to community and place.
 

Our sector already delivers experiences that young people value: inclusive activities, strong role models through coaches and volunteers, and environments where young people can feel safe, welcomed and supported to be themselves.

When done well, sport and physical activity can be a powerful protective factor in helping young people thrive, not just cope.

Inequality remains a barrier

Youth Matters rightly highlights the need to halve the participation gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers when it comes to enriching activities.

This is an area where urgency is needed.

Our latest Active Lives Children and Young People survey shows that while overall activity levels are rising, stubborn inequalities remain.

Young people from the least affluent families are still the least likely to be active, and too often face barriers related to cost, access, safety and whether opportunities feel designed for 'people like them'.

Less than half of young people say they are happy with the activities and services in their local area, and even fewer feel those opportunities reflect their needs and expectations.

Addressing this must be a priority if the ambitions of the strategy are to be realised.

Alignment with Uniting the Movement

The emphasis in Youth Matters on putting young people and communities at the heart of decisions, shifting from fragmented to collaborative working, and empowering local delivery strongly aligns with our long-term Uniting the Movement strategy.

Our Place Partnership approach is already focused on tackling inequalities, working alongside local partners and investing in long-term, community-led solutions.

Youth Matters validates this direction and reinforces the importance of sustained, place-based action rather than short-term interventions.

Our commitment

Delivering the ambitions of Youth Matters will require coordinated action across Government, sectors and communities.

Sport England is committed to playing our part: working with partners nationally and locally to ensure sport and physical activity are accessible, affordable, welcoming and shaped by young people themselves.

By listening to young people’s voices, focusing on the places facing the greatest challenges and continuing to address inequality head-on, we can help ensure this strategy delivers lasting impact over the next decade.

We look forward to continuing to work with Government, the youth sector and partners across sport and physical activity to turn this ambition into action for young people.