Tony Veal and Atara Sivan on why access to leisure needs more focus from leaders

The UK government has announced a National Youth Strategy, backed by £500 million, to rebuild youth services, train youth workers and other professionals to support them.

Europe Active’s Kai Troll gives a briefing on an EU obesity initiative and Paul Batman calls for a new focus on achievable exercise

A ten-year plan for health has been published for the UK, with a pivot to prevention at its heart. Kath Hudson gives a briefing and also reports on Joe Wicks’ allied kids’ fitness initiative

The much anticipated Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England contains no mention of gyms, leisure centres, health clubs, exercise, fitness, sport, physical activity or wellness.

The much-anticipated UK government’s Spending Review (SR) 2025 was delivered yesterday (11 June), which sets departmental budgets until 2028-9.

The UK’s government spending review was underwhelming. Now we’re counting down to see if the NHS 10-year Health Plan will deliver for the sector, says Liz Terry

The National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) has written to the Prime Minister ahead of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, which will be unveiled on 11 June.

Sector leaders in the UK have collaborated to create the Physical Activity Leadership Network that aims to raise physical activity levels, address inequalities and create an Active Wellbeing Service.

The UK government acknowledged in its recent budget that economic recovery depends on the health of the nation, but failed to find the investment needed to drive change or boost the prevention agenda.

In a soft power exercise, politicians in the UK have been invited to take part in a challenge which encourages them to be more active, while raising awareness of the benefits of physical activity.

Fitness First has filed a Court Order for restructuring at Companies House in the UK – the document is currently being processed, with details due in nine days.

London has a new double Olympic skating centre following a £30m investment by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Health and wellbeing should be at the heart of all government policymaking according to a new report from UK member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater, who has called for a major transformation in the way the government protects the health and wellbeing of all citizens.

A report issued by the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has accused Sport England of losing track of how £1.05bn in grants have been spent since 2016 and only accounting for £450m.

Members of Parliament in the UK and their teams are taking part in a physical activity challenge hosted by UK Active and Myzone between 2 and 30 November.

As the world grapples with climate change and prepares for COP26 in Glasgow, David Minton says it’s time for the fitness industry to step up and make its own contribution to saving the planet

A cross-party DCMS Committee in the UK has called on the government to launch a Work Out to Help Out campaign to incentivise people to get involved in organised sport and physical activity.

It is unlikely that the UK will see a Work Out to Help Out scheme being introduced, despite sports minister Nigel Huddleston saying he "understood" why so many people are backing one.

The UK parliament will today debate the merits of a Work Out to Help Out scheme, designed to offer subsidised access to health clubs and leisure centres across the country.

The Budget announcement has left the UK's physical activity sector with "unanswered questions" and vowing to continue to fight for additional support, says Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive.

A Parliamentary Petition calling for gyms to reopen first after the current national lockdown in the UK has passed the 100k signature milestone, which means the motion will be considered for a debate in Parliament.

GLL is the latest operator to throw its support behind a parliamentary petition calling for gyms to reopen first after the current national lockdown. GLL, which manages more than 258 facilities under its Better brand, is urging all its customers to sign the petition, which also calls for a Work Out to Help Out scheme similar to last summer’s successful scheme in the hospitality sector.

The House of Lords' 'National Plan for Sport and Recreation committee' has invited sporting organisations and members of the public in the UK, to provide their views on how to tackle the barriers which prevent people from taking part in sport and physical activity, as part of an inquiry into the government's performance in relation to participation.

This year's UK government Spending Review, announced in Parliament by chancellor Rishi Sunak on 25 November, offers the physical activity sector opportunities to "transform communities", according to industry body, ukactive.

Closing gyms and leisure facilities during any possible future lockdown would be "unthinkable", according to Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North.

Gyms, health clubs and leisure centres will be able to open their doors when the current lockdown measures in England come to an end on 2 December.

UK Parliament will debate COVID-19 restrictions on gyms and leisure centres on Monday 23 November, it has been confirmed.

Thousands of COVID-related deaths could be prevented if successive governments had tackled the country's obesity crisis in time, according to Dame Sally Davies.

A Parliamentary committee will hold a debate on COVID-19 restrictions on gyms and sport on Monday 23 November.