A CHARITY championing physical activity for all has given an insight to what’s been done in the ten years since the London 2012 Olympics.

Energise Me in collaboration with Hampshire County Council developed the aim to: “Use the inspiration of the London Olympics to increase participation by children and adults in culture and sport”.

Ten years on the Winchester based sporting charity has revealed the decade’s highlights as well as what needs to continue to boost participation and accessibility within physical activity.

The local active partnership tackles barriers to active lifestyles across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by championing physical activity campaigns, supporting those who are least active and developing the workforce within sport.

The organisation hoped to utilise the excitement of the home Olympics to deliver a physical activity strategy. The plan focussed on reducing inactivity amongst adults, and especially amongst females, improving levels of physical activity amongst children and young people and those with a long-term condition.

Highlights from Energise Me and their work since the London Olympics included organisation of the Hampshire School Games, introducing the Get Set programme into schools, training and supporting volunteers and signposting to volunteering opportunities, enhancing the support to talented young people through the Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme and investment into the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park.

An active lives survey from Sport England, introduced in 2015, showed that activity levels were increasing across Hampshire up until 2020. Winchester saw some of the highest rates of activity across the County. Energise Me was in line with their objectives, with greater numbers of women, older people and those with a disability becoming active.

However, the data revealed that not all people and communities were benefitting form an active lifestyle and the same inequalities that existed before 2012 had remained stubborn.

Julie Amies chief executive of Energise Me said: “London 2012 brought celebration, joy, connection with sport like no other event before. We’ve learned though that the nation’s engagement does not lead to everyone, wherever they are from, experiencing the fun, enjoyment, social connection, physical and mental wellbeing that physical activity can bring. That’s why we will work with physical activity, health and community partners to embed movement into healthcare, education, planning and transport systems. We will listen to and advocate for inactive communities, ensuring their voices are heard in policy discussions. And, through our role on Health and Wellbeing Boards, we will encourage others to use their influence to enable active lifestyles”.

In 2020, the organisation realised they needed to adapt their initial strategy and asked people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to “Imagine if we could all be happier, healthier and stronger.” Feedback from over 800 local people helped develop the new We Can Be Active Strategy.

The five goals include:

1. Positive early experiences for our children and young people

2. Opportunities that meet our needs and interests and are accessible and easy to find.

3. Places and travel routes where we all feel safe and are encouraged to be active.

4. Support to help us get started or keep moving when we feel that we can’t do it alone.

5. Bold leaders working together to create happier and healthier communities.

With these objectives the sporting charity hope to “continue the love for physical activity that the London 2012 Olympics started.”

The new angle was implemented in this year’s Hampshire Youth Games, with the first ever non-competitive festival. Winchester Sport & Leisure Park was selected to host the annual Hampshire School Games Physical Activity Festival, inspired by the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with over 1,000 children in attendance. This was the first time Energise Me changed the format of the games since 2012.

Speaking at the school games Sharon Robertson, strategic lead for children and young people said: “What we find is a lot of kids that are playing competitively are already engaged in sport. Our role as an organisation is around trying to engage inactive children so, to change the focus of the event around trying to get more young people who aren’t active to come was the focus really.”

“The great thing is in Winchester is that we’ve got a new building, it’s really shiny. We have been in Aldershot for a number of years which has got great facilities which were fine for the competition element because we needed different types of facilities. Whereas here we’ve got more flexibility. It’s all in really close proximity to be able to walk from one venue to another and we can’t ask for better facility really.”

Following its success, the festival aimed at less active children will return next year.

Energise Me is supported by Sport England and Hampshire County Council to increase equality in sport. The local charity is one of 43 Active Partnerships across England working towards an active nation.

Energise Me was known as Sport Hampshire and Isle of Wight and worked as part of the county council before becoming a registered charitable organisation in February 2016.

For more on Energise Me go to energiseme.org/.