Moving in Salford

Providing opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to be physically active, contributing to their physical and mental wellbeing, has never been more important.

We are all designed to move. But our modern world is designed and organised to keep us sitting still.

Physical activity and sport contribute to both our physical and mental wellbeing, our social and community development, economic development, and individual development. Moving more is key to enabling good lives for all.

Moving is ‘a miracle pill’ for everyone. Designing movement back into people’s everyday lives will help us to live happier and healthier lives, enable our communities, places and economy to thrive, and will contribute to a more sustainable city.

How long should you be active?

The Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults should achieve 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week for good health. For children and young people, those aged 2-4 years should be active for 180 minutes per day and those aged 5-15 should move for 60 minutes per day.

Why moving matters

Physical health and wellbeing

Adding life to years and years to life. Benefits include reduced risk of long term health conditions.

Mental health and wellbeing

Helps lift the mood, releasing feel good endorphins and supports long term mental health.

Individual development

Increases school readiness, educational attainment, self-esteem, productivity and independence. Supporting social and economic inclusion.

Social and community development

Increases social trust, belonging and community participation. Improves road safety, quality of life, environment and place. Reduces loneliness.

Economic development

Generates good employment, community wealth building and productivity at work. Saves money to the public purse and reduces sickness absence.

Environmental sustainability

Promotes more sustainable living, travel and places. Contributes to decarbonisation, cleaner air and a greener, healthier environment.

The benefits in numbers

£4 for every £1 spent
Is the social return on investment in sport and physical activity

£9.59 billion
Amount generated in England by improved physical and mental health

£14.22 billion
Amount that contributes nationally to enhanced social capital

Activity levels in Salford

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Active Lives data, adult physical activity levels in Salford were above the GM average after a significant increase year on year since 2015/16, with 74.9% of people achieving at least 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

As with many health indicators, although positive changes have been seen in the activity levels of many demographic groups, inequalities exist within our city. This is both geographically, linked to deprivation, and within specific demographic groups, such as culturally diverse communities, the elderly, disabled people, and women and girls.

Also, according to Active Lives data, despite a strong school-based offer (particularly in primary schools) and an abundance of opportunities in community leisure and sport, Salford’s activity levels for children and young people were some of the lowest in Greater Manchester (GM), especially amongst secondary school aged pupils, and particularly females.

The latest Active Lives results published by Sport England (November 2019 to November 2020) shows the effect of the pandemic on physical activity levels in Salford. 70.2% of adults in Salford are active for at least 30 minutes a week; this equates to approximately 145,000 adults moving. However, this is a decrease of 10,600 from 12 months ago and it is vital to all keep working together to support active lives for all in Salford. Unfortunately, it is within the groups where the activity gap already existed that have seen the biggest decline in activity levels, widening inequalities.

Salford's plan

Informed by substantial local insight and engagement, alongside co-production from local communities and the latest guidance and evidence, the Salford Physical Activity Framework is in the process of being refreshed and updated.

This new version of the framework and its associated themed action plans will direct our efforts to raise physical activity levels across the life course in Salford, with a focus on underserved communities and children and young people as part of the overall prevention agenda to reduce health inequalities and build back a fairer, greener and healthier Salford as we recover from COVID-19.

To create lasting change, this framework will be built on social inclusion and building activity into our everyday lives ie ‘Active by Design’. It will support our city’s push to reduce carbon footprints, battle climate change and improve air quality through the walking and cycling agenda and work in other ways to make being physically active the social norm. Its aim will be to ensure that physical activity cuts across and contributes to all policies within Salford across the system.

By facilitating, enabling and encouraging people within our city to be more physically active, with a strong focus on inequalities, we will be contributing to achieving our city strategic priorities contained within the Great Eight, Locality Plan and the overarching regional strategies the GM Population Health Plan and GM Moving in our efforts to become a more equal ‘Marmot’ City.

Walking, cycling and moving more

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