Have Your Say: Help Shape the Future of Sport and Physical Activity
Residents who want to improve their health, get more active, or simply share their experiences of sport and physical activity are being encouraged to take part in a new Moving Communities Place Survey.
Launched by Active Wirral, Wirral Council’s leisure service, the survey gives everyone the chance to have their say on the services, facilities, and opportunities available locally — and to help shape what comes next.
Wirral is the first area in the country to run the new survey which is part of a national Sport England project, following a similar and successful survey in early 2024. The findings will help Active Wirral and Sport England understand what helps people to become more active, what barriers exist, and how local services can better support residents to lead healthier, more active lives.
Last year, Wirral received the largest number of responses in the country, leading directly to improvements in the borough’s community leisure offer. Since then, a new high-quality artificial football pitch has opened at Bidston Sports and Activity Centre, and several new health and wellbeing services have been introduced in leisure centres across Wirral.
This year, Active Wirral is particularly keen to hear from residents who are less active but would like to make a change, as well as people living in Bidston, Birkenhead and Seacombe, which are key focus areas for Sport England’s Place Partnership work.
Cllr Ian Lewis, Chair of Wirral’s Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee, said:
Helping residents to lead active and healthy lives is a vital part of our Wirral Plan. We know being active improves physical and mental health but not everyone finds it easy to get involved or find something they enjoy doing.
If there are things we can do to reduce barriers, this survey is a great way to tell us. Listening to what residents have to say about their physical activity levels, habits and the difficulties they face will influence how services develop to meet the needs of local people.
The short, anonymous survey takes just five minutes to complete and is open to all Wirral residents aged 16 and over.
Emma Bernstein, Strategic Projects Lead at Sport England, said:
The Moving Communities survey is a great way for local authorities to engage with communities around physical activity opportunities, and what can be done to encourage people to be more active, whether that be at sports or leisure centres, out in open spaces, or active commuting.
The survey is open until 23:59pm on Sunday 30 November, with paper copies and Easy Read versions available at Active Wirral leisure centres and Wirral Council libraries and Family Hubs. An Easy Read version can also be downloaded from Wirral Council’s consultations website: haveyoursay.wirral.gov.uk.
