The UK’s sport and physical activity sector has joined forces to launch a new campaign called Save Our Sports, urging the Government to save grassroots sport, fitness and leisure facilities from permanent closure due to COVID-19.
Leaders from more than 150 bodies wrote to the Prime Minister in September asking him to provide ringfenced funding for the recovery of the sport and activity sector – or risk fuelling physical inactivity and related illnesses for a generation. There has so far been total inaction from the Government on this issue and neither the Prime Minister, nor any of his Cabinet, have as yet responded to this letter.
Using the campaign hashtag #SaveOurSports, the group requests a support package which:
- Creates a Sports Recovery Fund to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t lead to a lost generation of sport and activity
- Extends the VAT reduction that has been applied to the culture and hospitality sectors to the sport and physical activity sector
- Maximises access, in a safe way, to sport and physical activity during any local lockdowns or additional national restrictions.