Sport England’s Active People Survey results, released this month (December), paint a positive picture of the number of people participating in sport and volunteering in sport across Cumbria.
The survey is the largest single study of sport and active recreation ever undertaken in Europe and provides more detail on sports participation than any previous research.
Over a 12 month period, a total of 363,724 people aged over 16 were surveyed about their participation in sport. The survey was carried out across every local authority in England.
The survey provides for the first time statistical information about how physically active England is. It also gives a breakdown of the level of participation by individual sport and looks at the number of people volunteering in a sports setting.
For Cumbria, the survey shows that:
- 20.9% of the adult population taking part regularly in sport and active recreation 13 the national figure is 21%. South Lakeland is in the top 25% for regular participation (30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 3 times a week).
- Around 71.6% of over 16s in Cumbria are satisfied with the sports provision in their local area, compared to 69.5% nationally. However, more than half of people aged 16 and over - 53.3% - don’t take part in any sport or active recreation, just above the national figure of 50.6%.
- Cumbria fares extremely well when it comes to volunteers in sport, with 5.7 % of the adult population giving at least one hour a week compared to a national average of just 4.7%. This rises as high as 7.1% in South Lakeland and 6.6% in Barrow.
- 23.1% of the adult population are members of a club where they take part in sport 13 the national average is 25.1%.
- 15.6% adults have taken part in organised competitive sport in the last 12 months, compared to 15% nationally.
- As expected, the most active age group in the region is people aged between 16 and 34, and the survey shows that people drop out of exercise and do less and less as they get older. This has implications for the ageing population and shows the need for sports centres, gyms and clubs across the county to make themselves more attractive to older people.
Eddie Edge, Director of Cumbria Sport, said:
“The results of the Active People has uncovered some excellent results in Cumbria and the rest of England.
"Working with Sport England and our partners, we will use the information in our future plans for the county.
"We are currently working to set up six Sport and Physical Alliances across the County which will focus on increasing participation by creating more high quality sporting opportunities. At Cumbria Sport we will also be building on our excellent volunteering record to encourage more people to contribute some of their spare time to sports.
"This is an exciting time for sports in the county, with a new staffing structure at Cumbria Sport and the 2012 Olympics just around the corner. As a partnership we will continue to build on the successes highlighted in the survey to increase participation in sport and physical activity and create an active, health and successful Cumbria”.
ENDS
Further information from Richard Johnston, Cumbria Sport on 01228 601255
Notes for editors
Cumbria Sport Partnership is one of 49 operating across England. Funded through Sport England. Its partners include Cumbria County Council, Carlisle City Council, Eden District Council, Allerdale Borough Council, Barrow Borough Council, South Lakeland District Council, Copeland Borough Council, English Federation of Disability Sport, the governing bodies of sport and the health authority.
The purpose of Cumbria Sport is to make Cumbria more active, healthy and successful through sport and physical activity. Working with partners, our vision is for everyone in Cumbria to enjoy sport and physical activity as an integral part of everyday life.
Cumbria Sport works with all partners to support:
• Creating a single system for sport in Cumbria
• Long term athlete development
• Developing school sport clubs and PE in schools
• Developing the Youth Games and the Cumbria Sports Awards and other competition programmes
• Coaching, club and workforce development
• Volunteer recruitment
• Facility planning and development
Those described in the survey as 'satisfied' were either very or fairly satisfied with sports provision in their area.
The survey collected information on 239 sports/activities. These did not include activities such as DIY, gardening, housework and occupational related activity.
Sport England commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct the Active People Survey. This was carried out by telephone survey between October 2005 and October 2006 with at least 1,000 interviews being conducted across every local authority area in England (except Isles of Scilly, City of London and Birmingham).
The full results of the Active People Survey provide the following key statistics:
The percentage of the adult population (16 and over) participating in at least 30 minutes moderate intensity sport and active recreation in England on three or more days a week down to local authority area.
The percentage of the adult population participating in recreational walking and cycling
Information about sports participation broken down by age, gender, ethnicity, disabled/non-disabled and by socio-economic group
The percentage of the adult population volunteering in sport and active recreation for at least one hour a week, again down to local authority level
The percentage of the adult population who are members of sports clubs, or had received coaching or tuition, or taken part in competition in the previous 12 months
Levels of overall satisfaction with sports provision in respondents’ local area
The results of the Active People Survey will also inform the new sport and recreation indicators in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). The findings have been welcomed by the Audit Commission, the Local Government Association and many national governing bodies of Sport
The Active People Survey results will help Sport England, Cumbria Sport and its partners to:
- Encourage the region to become more active through sport.
- Present a current picture of activity levels. The survey will be repeated in 2008/09 and again in 2011/12. This will give an accurate indication over time of how sporting our nation and region is, and allow us to measure the effectiveness of our work to get more people participating in sport and active recreation every year.
- Demonstrate the benefits that sport can bring to the health of the nation.
- Inform future policy and resource allocation by helping identify the areas of greatest need. Sport England will work with its national and regional partners, with county sports partnerships, and through them with local partners
The data from Active People will be used in conjunction with Sport England’s online facilities database, www.activeplaces.com