API calls for support in Government’s NHS Consultation on Health Plan for England
Sporting icons call for new national plan to get kids moving
Sir Mo Farah, the Youth Sport Trust’s National School Sport Champion, has joined forces with fellow sporting icons to call for the British Government to harness the power of play and sport to improve the lives of young people.
He hand-delivered an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, at Downing Street. The letter urges the Government to create a new national plan that ensures every child has the opportunity to be physically active every day.
The multi-Olympic, World and European champion has united leading figures from British sport
to support his call for change. Cosignatories include seven-time Paralympic Champion and Youth Sport Trust Champion Hannah Cockroft OBE, triple Olympic champions Max Whitlock OBE and Adam Peaty OBE, the most successful British Paralympian of all time, Dame Sarah Storey, and Paris 2024 800m gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson.
In the letter, the athletes state: “In the UK, far too many children are unable to access these rights through no fault of their own. Whether it’s the mental health crisis, rising obesity levels, increasing loneliness, or excessive exposure to screens and digital trauma, this generation risks failing
to achieve their full potential. Now is the time to put children first.”
Their intervention comes at a crucial time, as only 19% of children aged 1-5 and 47% of 5–18-year-olds are meeting the recommended daily levels of physical activity.
Ali Oliver OBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, added: “Our research indicates that many parents are unaware of how much physical activity children should be doing. As a result, far too many children are missing out on the benefits of an active childhood.”
Youth Sports Trust Enquiry 29
The Association of Play Industries (API) is urging its members, partners and supporters to participate in the Government’s NHS Consultation, an early opportunity to influence the direction of England’s healthcare system over the next decade.
This Consultation is designed to gather public views on the development of a new 10-Year Health Plan for England, covering key areas of NHS reform including Prevention.
API Chair Dr Amanda Gummer says: “We see this Consultation as a critical chance to advocate for the health and wellbeing of children and young people, ensuring that their needs are a priority in future healthcare policy.
API will be submitting a formal response, underscoring the importance of public playgrounds
as a vital component of the Prevention focus area.
“Public playgrounds are essential for counteracting the physical inactivity epidemic among children in England. Safe, accessible play spaces promote active, healthy lifestyles, reducing risks for obesity, diabetes and mental health challenges-issues that place a significant burden on the NHS. Investing in playgrounds is an investment in preventative healthcare that will benefit both individual children and the broader healthcare system.”
The API is calling on all stakeholders to make their voices heard by responding to the Consultation and advocating for national investment in public play spaces. This is a unique opportunity for the sector to emphasise the role of playgrounds
in fostering healthier communities and a healthier future for children.
The API is also calling on the public to support its Pathway to Play campaign by writing to their local MPs, urging the government to invest in public playgrounds.
The campaign seeks to address the growing crisis of childhood obesity and mental health issues by ensuring that every child has access to safe, high-quality outdoor play spaces.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and key government ministers have already been approached by API Chair Dr. Amanda Gummer, who is advocating for policy changes that will make outdoor play a central aspect of childhood.
Association of Play Industries Enquiry 28
