Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock has launched a new phase of the Government’s physical activity campaign after research found that six in ten parents avoid sporting activities because they worry they will not be good enough.
The New Moves Club forms part of the Government’s Let’s Move! campaign and aims to help families introduce more physical activity into everyday routines.
Confidence holding families back
Research commissioned for the campaign found that 82 per cent of parents surveyed wanted their families to be more active together, while 61 per cent admitted avoiding activities because they feared they would not be good enough.
The survey, conducted among 2,006 parents and guardians of children aged seven to eleven in England, also found that 68 per cent believed their own inactivity made it harder to encourage their children to exercise.
Starting with ten minutes
The campaign encourages families to begin with manageable activities lasting as little as ten minutes, including walking, dancing, cycling and playing games together.
Actress Charlie Brooks and fitness coach Joe Wicks are supporting the initiative through a new film showing how families can enjoy physical activity without specialist equipment or sporting experience.
Peacock, the Labour MP for Barnsley South and Minister for Sport, Tourism, Place and Digital Government, said the campaign was designed to make physical activity enjoyable and accessible regardless of sporting ability.
The initiative comes as fewer than half of UK children achieve recommended physical activity levels. It forms part of the Government’s wider approach to encouraging healthier lifestyles and improving access to grassroots sport.
