April 2025 – Sport England has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling inequalities in physical activity by renewing the Moving Communities contract for another four years. Led by 4GLOBAL, in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, Right Directions, and Active Insight, Moving Communities will continue to provide critical data and insights to shape the future of sport and physical activity across the UK. 

The new contract forms part of Sport England’s £250 million investment into local places, aligning with the organisation’s Place Partnerships, prioritising communities that experience the greatest levels of inequality. Through collaboration with local leaders, policy-makers, and organisations, Moving Communities will play a pivotal role in breaking down barriers and creating sustainable, long-term solutions for increasing participation in physical activity. 

Since its inception in 2021, Moving Communities has been a trusted source for industry data and insights across the public leisure facilities sector, enabling policy and decision-makers to maximise the impact of investment in sport and physical activity. In particular, Moving Communities has played a vital role in government decision making for schemes such as the National Leisure Recovery Fund and the Swimming Pool Support Fund, whilst tracking over 200 million visits to facilities and recording over £1 Billion in social value.  

With the new contract, Moving Communities is evolving beyond facility-based insights, focusing on whole-place approaches, looking at activity in a community as a whole including activity inside and outside of facilities, to better understand and support communities at a local level. 

Emma Bernstein, Strategic Projects Lead, Sport England, commented: “It’s not a secret that where a person lives has a huge impact on their likelihood of being physically active. We see that all too often, low-income communities don’t have the same access to facilities and opportunities as wealthier areas. We are doubling down on our commitment to tackling these inequalities by using data-driven insights to co-create meaningful, community-led change through our place working and the renewed Moving Communities contract.” 

Jack Shakespeare, Director of Strategic Projects, 4GLOBAL, added: “Moving Communities has become an essential tool for the sector, providing actionable insights that support evidence-based decision-making. We’re excited to lead this next phase of the programme, working alongside our esteemed partners to ensure we continue to work across the sector to support key decision-making, drive continuous improvement, and demonstrate impact at both local and national levels.” 

By shifting its focus to whole-place approaches, Moving Communities will help understand trends in physical activity levels and opportunities to support policy making and investments that reflect the unique needs of communities, ensuring that sport and physical activity become more accessible, inclusive, and impactful for all. 

Bita Rezaei, Marketing Content & Events Manager, Active Insight: “Moving Communities has brought about a step change in how the sector understands and responds to community needs.  At Active Insight, we’re proud to contribute by delving beneath the surface of the data to uncover the real stories and lived experiences of people across the country. Our work ensures insights are not only accurate but also deeply rooted in local realities, shaping strategies that are impactful and inclusive.   

We’re excited to continue collaborating with Moving Communities and our valued partners to drive meaningful change towards a more active, healthier nation.”