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We've extended our unique agreement with GM Moving, the active partnership for a region where positive progress has been made to decrease levels of inactivity.

We've once again refreshed our unique partnership with GM Moving as our collective work to tackle health inequalities in Greater Manchester continues.

Our chief executive Tim Hollingsworth and executive director for place Lisa Dodd-Mayne were in Leigh on Friday to renew the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between us and the region's active partnership, which we first signed in 2016 and last refreshed in 2019.

Over the last decade, communities, organisations and institutions in Greater Manchester have worked together as a ‘movement for movement’ to deliver active lives for all, with our support.

GM Moving published its strategy, GM Moving in Action, three years ago and the growing evidence and energy seen and felt around it show that progress is being made.

Before the pandemic, Greater Manchester was reducing inactivity twice as quickly as the national rate, while independent research found that devolution was leading to broad improvements in health outcomes.

The region has since shown signs of a faster recovery than the national average and inactivity rates have stabilised.

But local leaders and partners are clear that there is lots of work still to be done, with 28% of people doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

"The evident positive progress made across Greater Manchester is testament to working in partnership towards one shared goal: a more active city-region, with better health for all," said Tim. 

"Change does not come overnight and there is still much work to do. That’s why Sport England is not only celebrating the impact of our existing relationship with GM Moving but reaffirming our commitment for the years ahead, to continue tackling health inequalities and boosting sport and activity levels for the people of Greater Manchester."

The impact of GM Moving is giving local leaders increasing confidence in the region’s approach to delivering better health through designing movement and physical activity back into life.

NHS Greater Manchester have committed to the delivery of the strategy, agreeing earlier this year to extend their partnership with GM Moving with a £2m investment over the next three years.

The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership strategy has an explicit focus on risk reduction and prevention and supporting physical activity as part of a social model for health.

The shift aligns with our 10-year Uniting the Movement vision to transform lives and communities through physical activity and sport, as well as the new government’s ambitions on health and prevention.

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