Local MP Alan Mak has welcomed Sport England funding to help boost physical activity in the Havant borough.
It is among the latest 27 places set to benefit from a share of Sport England’s £250m Place Partnership investment into the heart of communities across England.
The programme was launched in 2023 and was supported by the previous Conservative Government's Get Active strategy, which aimed to get 2.5 million more adults and a million more children active by 2030.
Sport England has now committed funding to Havant borough to boost levels of physical activity among those in greatest need, focusing on the most inactive communities.
Sport England research calculates that active lifestyles save £8bn a year for the healthcare system through illness prevention.
This helps reduce the burden on the NHS, preventing more than 3.3 million cases of chronic health conditions annually – including 1.3 million cases of depression, 900,000 cases of back pain and 700,000 cases of type 2 diabetes.
However, less than half of children are achieving the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines for daily physical activity, and women, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and Black and Asian communities are still less likely to be active than other adults.
To tackle these persistent inequalities and break down barriers to a more active life, Sport England is taking a ‘place-based approach’ by partnering with local organisations and leaders who best understand the needs, priorities and assets within their communities.
Mr Mak said: "It's great news that Sport England is partnering with a range of local organisations in the Havant borough to tackle physical inactivity as part of a scheme that began under the previous Conservative Government.
"I believe it will make a major contribution to breaking down barriers to fitness and health."
Caption: Alan Mak MP is a big supporter of local sports facilities to help people be physically active
