Can we really change the game with latest funding?

Tom Walker, Editor

The Government’s announcement of a £900m package for sport and physical activity – including £400m earmarked for grassroots facilities – earlier this year has been heralded as a “game-changer”. On paper, the commitment is hugely welcome. More investment means more opportunities to get people active. The real question is, however, where and how this money will be invested. Past experience shows that funding can too easily flow into projects, programmes and initiatives that look good in press releases but fail to shift the needle on participation. If the goal is to get more people moving, we must avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

That also raises another challenge: how do we know if the investment has actually worked? Counting pitches, gyms, or refurbished clubhouses is one thing – but what if the true measure of success is broader?

The work of Will Watt and State of Life points to a possible answer – as those who attended the CIMSPA Conference in September will know (where Will was one of the speakers). By using a “wellbeing value” metric, State of Life demonstrates not just the economic but the social return of physical activity. If this latest injection of funding is to be truly transformative, measuring what matters will be key. Speaking of CIMSPA, I would like to congratulate CEO Tara Dillon and the entire CIMSPA team for introducing professional status to sport and physical activity professionals. It is a historic moment. For a long time, employers have asked for a way to recognise not just the qualifications that people hold, but the real skills, knowledge, competencies and experience they bring to their roles. That recognition now exists, providing confidence and consistent benchmark.

Tom Walker, Editor