Barnsley secures further Sport England investment to help residents be more active

We’re pleased to share that, through the Active in Barnsley Partnership, Barnsley has secured a further £744,593 investment from Sport England to help more residents build physical activity into their everyday lives.

The investment will support our work with local partners and communities up to 2028, helping more people enjoy the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of moving more.

The new funding builds on Barnsley’s existing Sport England Place Partnership investment and recognises the progress already being made across the borough. It will continue to support work that helps people be more active in their local communities, brings physical activity into health and social care services, supports schools and young people, reduces inactivity, and makes sure opportunities to move more are open to everyone, especially people who face the biggest barriers.

The Active in Barnsley Partnership brings together organisations and groups working with residents across the borough, including Barnsley Council, Barnsley Football Club Community Trust, Grassroots Sports Academy, Barnsley Premier Leisure, DIAL, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, local health partners, voluntary and community organisations, and community groups.

Since the partnership first received Sport England investment, activity levels in Barnsley have increased from 53% in 2021 to 2022 to 62.9% in 2024 to 2025. This means around 28,840 more people are now achieving recommended activity levels for good health, marking one of the strongest improvements in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Councillor David Goddard, Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment and Transport, said:

"This investment is fantastic news for Barnsley and a strong endorsement of the work taking place through the Active in Barnsley Partnership. By working together across organisations, communities and sectors, we have already helped thousands more residents become physically active and improve their health and wellbeing.

"This continued funding will allow us to build on that success and ensure even more people can benefit from being active."

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Sport England’s Executive Director for Partnerships and Place, said:

“We want everyone, no matter where they live or who they are, to have the chance to be active and healthy. To do this, we’re focusing on places, towns, cities, and communities, where people face the biggest challenges.

"We are committed to working with local partners and communities to break down the barriers to physical activity so that everyone has equal access to a more active life. We are excited to see what we can achieve together in Barnsley.”

The continued investment from Sport England demonstrates the value of the progress being made across the borough and will help ensure that local partners can continue working together to tackle inactivity, improve health outcomes and create lasting positive change for communities.

Find out more about the Active in Barnsley Strategy and the wider What’s Your Move campaign on our website.