Doncaster is one of twelve Local Delivery Pilots (LDPs) working with Sport England to test ways in which to make activity an easy and accessible choice for everyone. To do this we need to connect the policy, places and people who can support it to happen. My role is to lead the Pilot and support residents and partners to get involved in Doncaster's approach.

What do you do to keep active?

I have a dog, so walking him every day gets me out of the house in all weathers. I like to run in my local area; I usually listen to a podcast to keep me entertained. I am also quite competitive and love sport, so I play hockey at my local club; it's a great excuse to take time out of a busy week to see my friends.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Starting is the hardest part, especially if it's not something we haven't done for a while. I think my advice would be:

1. Start with small and manageable changes

2. Make a plan for where you're going to move more during the day or week

3. Make it enjoyable, it doesn't have to be boring – stick some music on, get family and friends involved, make it a game.

A large part of my role is about encouraging and supporting local residents to move more. This often takes the form of campaigns, and sharing the amazing stories of local people who are finding that moving more has benefited them in a number of ways. An important part of this work is to also understand why people often feel unable to be more active, and really understand these very real barriers, and communicate potential solutions to overcome or reduce them.

I also work closely with our partners, in particular around influencing decision makers to make positive changes to reduce the barriers that people face when it comes to physical activity, and creating the conditions to make moving more an easier, more accessible and attractive option for all. And last but by no means least I work to support Doncaster's sports clubs and groups to raise awareness of what is on offer in Doncaster and celebrate our sporting achievements.

What do you do to keep active?

My two kids and my Ladbrador Ted make sure that I'm never sat down for too long! I love going on family walks, it's a great way to get the kids off their screens and connect with nature and find the time to chat away from distractions. I've also got quite into running over the past year - I don't think I'll ever run a marathon, but I'm quite happy with a 5K!

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

I would never have stuck at running if it wasn't for a couple of my friends – we started running together. We don't cancel if we've committed to a run even if we really don't feel like it because we don't want to let each other down, we have a laugh and a chat and support each other when it gets tough, which it often does! So my advice would be – consider starting to move more with a friend, and/or join a group (there's loads of local walking groups across Doncaster for example). It might help you stick at it and make it more fun.

I manage and work alongside dedicated teams and partners who provide opportunities for Doncaster's residents to take part in physical activity and sport. This includes liaising with Local, National and Regional Partners such as Sport England and Yorkshire Sport Foundation, enabling us to access support and funding.

Within my role, I ensure we have connectivity with these organisation and those you may not consider as promoting physical activity such as transport, planning, parks. This ensures we have a linked approach enabling teams and partners to make best use of these service areas and help influence future design and delivery to maximise opportunities.

What do you do to keep active?

I have spent a lot of my earlier carrier working and leading groups in the outdoors kayaking, walking and cycling. Although now desk based I still love to spend time taking part in these activities and try to cycle at least once a week with friends.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Don't think you have to rush into hours of activity. Take time to build up and build on what you feel comfortable with and you will soon start to feel the benefits.

My role is to help embed the priorities and learning from the Get Doncaster Moving Strategy into wider policy, practice and research. This includes across Doncaster Council, the Team Doncaster partnership and within individual partner organisations.

What do you do to keep active?

I particularly enjoy cycling, walking and playing football in the back garden with my son (with window-friendly foam footballs!). I like to set myself challenges, like increasing the number of miles cycled and walked in a year, or completing long-distance walking trails. My 'smart' watch has really helped with tracking progress. I've been surprised how much walking you can do without really noticing, even in a working day.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

I would suggest being guided by your personality and passions – to do something you enjoy that also involves being active.

For example, it could be gardening or a group dance class. Perhaps extending the daily dog walk or walking with a group of friends, stopping at a café on the way.

It doesn't need to involve pre-planned exercise sessions - there are many ways to be active throughout the day.

This website has some great top tips to help people to get started and feel the physical and mental benefits that physical activity can bring.

I am working to develop and strengthen ways of working which cover a range of aspects of parks and open space provision. Parks offer freely accessible recreational space to residents of Doncaster and are a valuable part of so many residents' lives. Through Future Parks, we are not just looking at the physical make up of parks, but also developing partnerships and how we can support the communities around the parks to animate and create active spaces that they want to see and use.

What do you do to keep active?

I do a fair bit of walking; I try to walk rather than using the car when I can. I like to get out and escape, you cannot beat the power of a good view, and there are a whole host of amazing viewpoints around Doncaster, some real hidden gems. They give you a completely different perspective of where we live, I think it is healthy to take time and reflect on where we are and what fantastic assets we have where we live.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Do what you feel comfortable with, go find somewhere new to explore, discover, go off the beaten track, turn your phone off and get lost where you can't see any buildings (then turn your phone back on when you truly are lost), turn it into an adventure, pretend you are a kid again. Do whatever, just make sure it's fun.

I am a Public Health Degree Apprentice and I started working in the council from September 2023. I have been given the opportunity to join the Get Doncaster Moving team and to take part in upcoming projects and events. As I am doing my degree alongside this job, I feel like I can bring new perspective and ideas that may not have been explored especially regarding physical activity levels among my own community.

What do you do to keep active?

Being a shy girl when I was younger, taking part in sports in school or outside of school made me nervous and something I avoided. However, now that I have more knowledge about the importance of keeping active and the impact it has it has on your physical and mental health, I have been able to find activities I enjoy that I can do in the comfort of my own home. I take part in Pilates and Yoga by following online instructors and I do enjoy a stroll to work every morning listening to my favourite podcast.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

We all lead busy lives and some don't have 30 mins to an hour to spend at the gym. Why not try to incorporate physical activity in your daily life like walking to places rather than driving if you can, playing with your kids or even dancing to your favourite music. There are so many great tips and resources on this website so have a browse and start your journey.

I ensure that Doncaster's Leisure Centres are maintained to an acceptable standard in terms of health and safety and also customer satisfaction. Therefore I see my role as being important in ensuring customers come back to use the facilities as they have a positive experience. The other part of my role includes incorporating and accommodating findings from industry leading research into how physical activity levels can be increased by hosting major sporting events.

What do you do to keep active?

Though I don't class myself as sporty or as active as maybe I should be, I do like to go on regular walks with my family. It proves to be more difficult during the winter months, however during the spring and summer, we walk around our local neighbourhood, parks and green spaces and even play a bit of football with my young son.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

The only advice I can give is set yourself a realistic target, there is no point working towards something which you are unable to achieve, which then may put you off altogether. Its always possible to increase the amount of Physical Activity later down the line as you and your body become used to it.

I support Doncaster's voluntary sports sector organisations to thrive. I work with national, regional and local stakeholders to develop innovative ways for Doncaster residents to access sport and physical activity opportunities. This varies from liaising with National Governing Bodies to encourage sports delivery locally to supporting Doncaster grassroots sports clubs being creative and sustainable in their day to day operations. I also work to deliver major sporting events that can create long lasting memories and legacy opportunities for local residents.

What do you do to keep active?

I generally keep active by going on walks with the family. Having a 4 year old daughter generally keeps me physically active too but also as we are now working from home more, I have incorporated home works into my daily routine. My goal for 2022 is to start benefiting from the great outdoors and green spaces I have around where I live and going on more regular weekly runs.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

My advice would be to take things slowly and to set small achievable goals initially. Find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and that works for you. This could be going for a walk on your lunch time, starting a couch to 5km or even working out at home. Other informal ways of becoming active can be incorporated into your everyday lifestyle too. That could be starting to walk to work, park your car further away and walking more or taking the stairs instead of the lift. I would encourage to start with small 'steps' which can then be increased as you start to incorporate being physically active into your day to day routine.

My role as a Well Doncaster Officer contributes to reducing inactivity levels in Doncaster by listening to groups and individuals in our local communities and offering advice and support so that people can live a healthy and happy life. I am an advocate for physical activity and can signpost members of the community to different groups and activities that can help to improve their overall health and wellbeing.

What do you do to keep active?

I like to be as active as I can. I am a qualified football coach and this keeps me busy and on my toes during the week. I am the manager of a young girls' team in Scawthorpe and also the manager of Rossington Main women's team. I am proud of the coaching I do and football is something that is a massive part of my life. I like to go to the gym three or four times a week and really push myself to be a fitter and better me each day.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Focus on yourself! A big barrier to physical activity can be the thought of how other people are going to perceive us. Focusing on yourself is the number one thing you can do to start moving. People should be supporting you in your challenges - surround yourself with positive people and maybe see if they want to join you on your journey to being more active!

How does your role contribute to reducing inactivity levels in Doncaster?

As a Well Doncaster Officer my role contributes to reducing inactivity as I support residents, groups, and communities to stay active and live a happier and healthier life. I support and signpost residents to local activity groups to improve and break down their barriers to activeness. I also support local groups to set up activity group. I work alongside partners and the community connecter to engage and empower residents to be more active.

What do you do to keep active?

To keep active, I go on local walks around my community, and I attend the local walking group hosted by the community connector in Stainforth. I would like to be more active and eventually start going to the gym to improve my health. During my time in school, I was really active and loved activities such as hockey, netball, and football. My goals is to be as active now as I was when I was younger.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

My advice would be to start small and slowly. Chose something that you enjoy taking part in, once you feel comfortable and confident slowly push yourself and raise your goal. Concentrating on yourself can be the best way to boost your confidence, be proud of your achievements!

I build relationships with community groups, residents, and organisations to have in depth conversations on how they believe we can help reduce the barriers that they face when it comes to being physically active. I offer them support and guidance on how and where they can go to improve their own physical health and wellbeing.

What do you do to keep active?

As a mum of one child and one dog, I often keep active by going to our local greenspaces. We also enjoy going swimming and bike rides.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Don't put to much pressure on yourself. Even if you're just going up and down the stairs a few times you're still getting those extra steps in.

In my role I listen to the local community to gain valuable insight into the barriers facing people to be more active. I then use this information to work with partners, community groups etc. to find ways in which to reduce or overcome these barriers. I also work alongside the Community Connector in Stainforth to support her role and we work together to support our community to be more active.

What do you do to keep active?

I have a very busy life with three boys to keep entertained but we go on regular walks around the community. Since Covid we have found new walks in the area we live, we like exploring and keep active that way. I am going to start fitness classes as a way of getting a bit of me time as well as being more active!

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Just to do little and often at first, then to slowly push yourself to go a little further, and work your way up to more activity from there, one step at a time. When you have achieved the next step the feeling of accomplishment is amazing!

I joined the Well Doncaster team in February 2020, two weeks prior to the national lockdown! In my time within the Well Doncaster team, I have had various roles. I initially started as a Public Health Officer working in the Central and South localities supporting the community through the pandemic as they offered vital support to residents. I then moved on to put my nutrition knowledge and qualifications to the test and led on the Be Well, Cook Well food education course and supported the Tier 2 Weight Management programme alongside Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospital. This role was a secondment for eight months and where I designed and delivered cook and eat sessions in community settings. I am now a Public Health Improvement Officer in the team and support the work in North and Central Doncaster. My role involves engaging with partners and local stakeholders to support Doncaster's communities to live a happier and healthier life.

What do you do to keep active?

I have always been a very active person and played pretty much any sport growing up. Most of my spare time is spent training or playing football for Doncaster Belles and I am very lucky in that I get to keep fit and active by playing a sport I enjoy. Away from football I do enjoy mixing my activities up with whatever I fancy on the day… swimming, walking, cycling, gym or a gentle dog walk around the local park.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

It may seem like a massive mountain to climb when you first start moving more but the smallest of steps will make the biggest differences in the long run. Moving more doesn't have to mean a 5k run or a gym session to have an impact on your health and wellbeing. Taking the stairs rather than the lift or walking down the street rather than driving will slowly but surely provide you with an opportunity that can only benefit your mental and physical health.

I work with communities in the South of Doncaster to improve health, wellbeing and reduce inactivity levels. I do this by talking and working with residents to see how we can help decrease the barriers to being physically active as well as encouraging the use of local greenspaces and signposting people to local community groups and activities.

What do you do to keep active?

I go for walks at least once a week and try to increase the distance to build up my fitness. I also enjoy walking my dogs and playing a game of badminton.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Making positive lifestyle changes can be intimidating at first but making good habits like scheduling a day or time to do a certain activity can be really helpful. Any exercise is better than none. It could be something as simple as walking to the shops instead of taking the car. Whatever you decide to do to get active, make it fun!

I work within the central area of Doncaster to improve the health and well being of the people living there. I try to address the barriers that prevent people being physically active, whether that be ill health or financial etc. I listen to the residents about what it is they want and need, that will enable them to live a happy and healthy life, then offer support for them to achieve this.

What do you do to keep active?

I have recently become a grandmother for the first time and having a young child around definitely keeps me going. I try to go on a short walk in my lunch break and Well Doncaster has recently set up its own rounders team.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Any exercise is good for you even if you're just cleaning the house, just take it slow and steady, don't over do it and listen to your body.

Hello! My name is Bri and I am the Community Connector for Conisbrough and I contribute to reducing inactivity levels by supporting local residents, particularly those with health conditions to either find activities already being delivered within the community or supporting them to develop new ones which better suit their particular needs. I also provide information, guidance and support to groups and organisations to help them connect with each other, build capacity, signpost to funding streams and support them to develop new groups and activities.

Having had Psoriatic Arthritis for many years, I totally understand how difficult it can be to get moving and be active when you have additional barriers such as pain and mobility issues to contend with but small steps and a bit of peer support can really help to keep you motivated and moving! I particularly enjoy swimming, being part of the Conisbrough Menopause Walking Group and going for seaside strolls with my dog Betty!

My role involves regular interaction with Doncaster residents. I first started doing this with Active Dearne Project and one of my biggest achievements is setting up my strictly sequence Dance Group. Whilst physical activity is important, I too encourage residents to access groups with a view of combatting social isolation and improving their mental/physical wellbeing.

What do you do to keep active?

I class myself as an active person, I always seem to be 'on the go'. However, I am not a gym goer or regular exerciser as such, but realise how important it is to keep going and maintain movement.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Move slowly and often at first, to keep your body strength and joints flexible. My motto is 'use them or lose them!'.

My role as community connector involves interacting with the residents of Stainforth. Since starting my role I have formed a walking group which was attended by 10 residents on the first week, as well as this I have organised some sports on the street days in the holidays.

What do you do to keep active?
I keep myself active through walking, I also volunteer at stainforth juniors u12s blue where I am the manager.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?
Walking is good for mental health it's the best place to start when you are feeling low and want to keep active.

My role involves engaging with the local community and discussing ways in which we can, together, improve movement and general health and fitness of the people of Edlington. I'm pretty new to the role but I am hoping to set up lots of groups like walk and talk, buggy walks and half term scoot and cycle days.

I have also been in contact with local provisions about holding free taster sessions within our local schools and further community. This is going well and I have managed to secure some free kickboxing sessions for our secondary academy. I have also set up an after-school club for one of our local primary school, which will be run by myself, to encourage the children to move more with lots of exciting and fun games and activities to keep the children engaged.

What do you do to keep active?

I started my personal fitness journey last year and soon discovered what worked well for me in regards to exercise. To my surprise I found that, for me, less was more. Gentle exercise and movement were more than enough. In total I lost just over a stone in weight and improved my health and fitness level.

I'm here now to hopefully pass on some of my knowledge and remove any misconceptions people have around fitness and exercise, by making positive connections within my community, getting people moving more and signposting them to provisions already available to them.

As the Community Connector for Balby, my role is to encourage local residents to move more. I actively go out into the Balby community to encourage people to take part in physical activity. It has been recognised that in Doncaster, there is a great deal of physical inactivity and my role is to encourage people to be more active in their daily lives to help reduce this.

What do you do to keep active?

I have been taking part in Pedal Ready training, where we learn to ride a bike and take our proficiency test and I am also in the process of starting up a walking group. To keep active myself, I take part in a squash group with colleagues and I have also joined a gym. I like walking and I enjoy being active in groups.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

The advice I would give to someone who wants to start moving more is that they should start off with gentle exercise and progress from there and it always helps to get advice from professional instructors. I find doing physical activity in groups more enjoyable and more motivating, but most of all I would say do something fun!

As the Community Connector for Intake & Wheatley I encourage local residents to be more active. I share my own personal experiences with people to encourage them to be more active too. As an asthmatic, arthritic, diabetic and having a heart murmur, joining Fit Rovers has really improved my own fitness and wellbeing.

I am committed to supporting our communities to improve their health and wellbeing through physical activity. Through my role as Cabinet Member for Public Health. Communities, Leisure and Culture I can see how physical activity can support numerous agendas and tackle social isolation and promote strong, resilient and vibrant communities.

What do you do to keep active?

I walk most days, having an energetic dog to walk, and have been known to ride a bike occasionally.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

Find something that works for you and don't get disheartened if you find occasionally you miss taking part in your chosen activity.

I am part of the Senior Leadership Team for Yorkshire Sport Foundation, the Active Partnership for South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. The organisation is committed to creating a vibrant, healthy and prosperous Yorkshire through everyone moving more. We believe physical activity and sport has a big role to play in improving the physical and mental health of the region, supporting the economy, connecting communities and rebuilding a stronger society for all.

What do you do to keep active?

I'm a keen runner, walker and like to dust off my mountain bike every so often. My ethos of 'never stop exploring' keeps me and my family active in lots of different ways.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

I'm keen to ensure that everyone in Doncaster is able to benefit from living active lives and the positive impact this can have for individuals, communities and the district as a whole. Our efforts and resources are focused on working with people and groups who are more likely to be inactive and who can benefit the most.

My role places me at the heart of an organisation that is seeking to use the brand and reach of sport to positively affect the Borough of Doncaster. Inactivity is one of the prominent challenges facing the Borough and we're here to work with people to provide solutions to this, whether that's engaging with young people through schools outreach delivery or bringing people back into exercise through Fit Rovers – we are here to provide an inclusive approach to this agenda.

What do you do to keep active?

Amongst my very average sporting careers in football and squash, I have always enjoyed running and continue to do this on a weekly basis. It's something I can just do with a moments notice when there's a gap in my schedule, which really works for me.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

My advice is to find something that works for you, so try a number of activities and find the ones that fit and that you enjoy. I've met some of my best friends through sport and exercise and I find this community to be one of the most welcoming.

We run leisure venues across the borough and as well as providing gyms, pools and outdoor activity spaces we work in the community to make sure that we are offering people of all ages activities that are suitable to them. We work closely with NHS colleagues and provide rehabilitation sessions for people who are recovering from illness and we strive every year to get even more people exercising and focusing on keeping healthy.

What do you do to keep active?

I find running a great way to clear my mind and order my thoughts. Some of my best ideas come to me as I am running! You see so many people running, jogging or walking, just taking things at their own pace but moving and making an active choice to do something about their health and fitness.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

To quote a famous brand, just do it, you can sit and think about it and think about it some more but actually taking the first step and going for a walk or booking a session in the pool, an induction to the gym or trying a class is the best way to get started, You might have to try a few activities to find the one you love but unless you take that first step and give it a go you'll never know!

As Head of Street Scene for Doncaster Council I am responsible for the maintenance and development of parks, open spaces, woodlands and streetscape – so providing safe spaces for users to exercise, relax and explore.

What do you do to keep active?

Walking the dog and I'm just in the process of getting another dog to walk!

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

First and foremost find something that you enjoy doing. Don't choose something that is or becomes a chore. So for example, wandering around parks and woodlands can both help with your physical health and mental wellbeing by being closer to nature.