England Netball | England Netball signs resolution for sport to be at heart of nation’s recovery from COVID

England Netball is one of more than 50 organisations from the sport and physical activity sector to have come together to sign a New Year’s resolution to ensure sport and physical activity is at the heart of the nation’s recovery from COVID-19 in 2021.

This New Year’s resolution is part of the #SaveOurSports campaign, which began in September 2020 with a letter to the Prime Minister highlighting the important contribution the sports and physical activity sector makes to society.

Our resolution for a sporting new year

As we approach the end of a difficult year, we have come together to make a collective New Year’s resolution to the nation for 2021.

Firstly, we would like to thank everyone in the sporting and activity world; colleagues, participants, members and especially all those who volunteer, for everything you have done to support efforts to enable as much sporting activity as possible to take place safely in these difficult times. We would also like to thank the Government for their support to date in getting elite and community sport back being played. We ask for the Government to do the same for community sport and activity in the higher tiers of restrictions to ensure people can get back to participating in what they love as soon as possible.

Across the world of sport and physical activity there has been outstanding work from clubs, facility operators and many other organisations to not only keep the nation active where possible but also in the support given to your local communities. We pay tribute to each and every one of you for the efforts you have made to support the national effort against Coronavirus whether that is providing venues for testing facilities, raising money for those who need it most, and helping everyone to enjoy the incredible physical, mental and social benefits of being more active.

As a sector too, we want to thank our wonderful NHS and key workers for everything they have done for our families and our communities this year.

We all share an absolute focus for sport and physical activity to be at the heart of our nation’s post-COVID renewal in 2021 and beyond, helping everyone to get fitter and healthier.

This means making plans for supporters to return to full stadia and people to return to their grassroots facilities as soon as possible, creating the income needed to reinvest into these communities. Alongside this, the sector requires tailored financial and regulatory support to rebuild and revitalise our nation’s health.

It also means redoubling efforts to increase sporting participation. This will take time as we emerge from restrictions, but it is vital that we do this for the sake of the nation’s health and wellbeing, and particularly for those whose participation has been most impacted by the pandemic, including children and young people.

Grassroots sport, fitness, and wider recreational activity is proven to support physical, mental, and social wellbeing. This makes our sector essential to the nation’s recovery from the damage caused by the pandemic.

All of us possess a determination to rebuild this year and believe that as the nation emerges from COVID, there is a golden opportunity for sport and physical activity to build back better. Our specific aim is to see activity and levels of participation return to their pre-COVID levels by 2022.

This is a big challenge, and one that will need the sustained support of Government, but it is important we set our ambitions high and work together to achieve it.

If Britain is to recover from the impact of COVID, we need to harness the power of sport and activity to deliver physical and mental health benefits to everyone who participates.

Our new year’s resolution is to deliver just that.

Signed by the leaders of the following sport and physical activity sector organisations:

England and Wales Cricket Board

Football Association

Lawn Tennis Association

Rugby Football League

Rugby Football Union

1Life

Active Humber

Badminton England

BaseballSoftballUK

British Aikido