FUNDING for the future; £9.8 million secured to build stronger Essex communities and tackle inactivity

Significant investment from Sport England will transform lives in our local places through the power of sport and physical activity.

This week signals a momentous occasion, for the Place Partnership investment which will deliver impact against:

Increasing physical activity
Decreasing physical inactivity
Providing positive experiences of physical activity for children and young people
Tackling inequalities in local communities

Sport England launched this major funding initiative, which will see £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding invested in more than 90 new places across England until 2028.

Investment into Essex will see Castle Point, Harlow and Thurrock benefit, whilst Basildon, Colchester and Tendring have received further funding support, following the work achieved through the Essex Local Delivery Pilot.

Aiming to break down the everyday barriers that prevent people from moving more and living well, this opportunity will focus on areas that need support the most, helping make physical activity a daily reality for everyone, regardless of their postcode or income.

Opportunities will be co-designed with the community, in response to the specific needs identified in each place, whilst local organisations and projects will be supported to deliver new and exciting initiatives that help build capacity across the system, creating meaningful and lasting impact.

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Executive Director of Place at Sport England, said:

“Our recent investment into Essex reflects our continued commitment to ensure that interventions are rooted in the unique needs, cultures and priorities of local communities. Targeted investment in areas of greatest need can unlock participation and reduce health inequalities. The 3 new places in Essex, and the 3 already well on the journey, will be shining examples of how these types of approaches can drive real change locally to help create a more active, healthier nation.”

Councillor Danielle Brown, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Culture and Community, said:

“A fantastic win for Harlow this summer! Securing almost £1 million in funding from Sport England, with match funding from partners bringing the total to over £2 million, marks a pivotal moment for health and wellbeing in our town.

“This is truly something to celebrate and represents a major step forward in our plan for Building Harlow’s Future. This investment will be instrumental in improving access to active travel, movement, and physical activity across our community. The successful delivery of the development phase has already shown how vital these initiatives are in transforming lives.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the incredibly hard-working officers within the council and all our dedicated partners who have worked tirelessly to make this happen. Their commitment and teamwork have been outstanding, and this achievement is a testament to their dedication to Harlow.

“This is an exciting time for our town, and I encourage all residents to get involved as we move forward with these projects.”

Active Essex is well positioned to help navigate, following extensive learning over their 13-year growth. As one of 43 Active Partnerships, which started as a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Active Essex are pioneers in place-based working and this has been supercharged through the work of the Essex Local Delivery Pilot (LDP), which began in 2017.

Dr William Bird, Chair of Active Essex said:

“The success of the LDP has meant that Essex has received further funding to support three new areas. What we’ve learnt alongside our partners, is that we must create the conditions for our communities to thrive, and I have no doubt that this further investment will be capitalised on by all places in Greater Essex. Utilising learnings across the system from health and education, to transport and recreation, we all have the ability to co-create physical activity opportunities for everyone.”

Across the six Place Partnerships, work has already taken place on identifying local needs, and have seen opportunities such as Essex Pedal Power, The Gunny Project on Canvey, and Rose Villa Surgery Community Garden in Basildon develop and kick start this exciting new journey for the county.