Sport England and charity partners have joined together to launch a new campaign called We Are Undefeatable. And we are proud to be one of the charities involved.
We know from national surveys undertaken by Sport England that people living with long-term health conditions like diabetes, cancer and arthritis are less likely to be active. But research commissioned as part of the We Are Undefeatable campaign suggests that the majority of people living with long-term health conditions want to be more active and know the health benefits it could have.
So together we've launched a new campaign today to tackle this issue and have asked us and other charities to support them. There are unique challenges that stop people with long-term conditions being active. The We Are Undefeatable campaign recognises these barriers and will support people to make small changes.
Through the campaign, we’ll share stories from people who have long-term conditions and have managed to start or stay active. We’ll also give tips and tools on how to get active.
To make sure we’re providing the best support we can, the We Are Undefeatable campaign has been launched with the help of people who are living with long-term health conditions every day. People like Zahoor, who has found being active has helped him with managing his diabetes.
Zahoor (pictured above)
"I like to get out in the fresh air but if it is too wet I have another way of keeping fit. I love music and I have set up my own gadget in the front room. I throw the switch and a bright light comes on and my music starts playing. Then I start dancing and I can still move!"
Why do we need this campaign?
A study from DJS Research, commissioned as part of the campaign, shows that:
- 69% of people living with long-term health conditions would like to be more active
- 66% say being active would help manage or improve their condition, with improved mood and wellbeing being the biggest benefit (52%).
And the UK Chief Medical Officer’s physical guidelines Start Active Stay Active says even small amounts of activity can make a difference to overall health and wellbeing.
But we know that activity isn’t something that will come easily to everyone living with diabetes. The DJS Research study found that of the 1,000 adults they spoke to, 28% of people with long-term conditions said the unpredictable nature of their condition make it hard to commit to a routine.
Chris Askew, our Chief Executive and Chair of the Richmond Group of Charities said,
“Getting active and staying active can help the 3.8 million people in the UK living with a diabetes diagnosis manage their condition, and reduce the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes for the 12.3 million at risk. That’s why it’s vital to support everyone to enjoy the benefits of physical activity and provide practical solutions to get people with diabetes, including those who have already developed serious complications, as active as possible. Through this innovative partnership we can help millions of people take up physical activity and lead full and healthy lives.”
The charities working with us on this campaign are: Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Asthma UK, Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now, British Lung Foundation, British Red Cross, Macmillan Cancer Support, Mind, MS Society, Parkinson’s UK, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal Voluntary Service, Stroke Association and Versus Arthritis.
We're working together as one voice to make sure people living with long-term conditions get better support and care.
More advice and support to get active with diabetes
We've got tips, information and ideas on how to exercise when you're living with diabetes. We explain the benefits, the types of activity that are good for diabetes and where to get more support to get active in your community.
