Major events have the power to inspire, but with the right planning, they can also create real opportunities for people who are least active to overcome barriers and take their first steps toward a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Increasing physical activity using events
A lot of events fail to incorporate this effectively, so this page is packed with practical tips, proven strategies and real-world examples to help you design events that go beyond the moment. Whether you’re planning a local festival or a national sporting event, we’ll show you how to use the spark of an event to create lasting pathways to participation for those who need it most by using the resources on this page.
Lessons from Get Out, Get Active
If your goal is to increase physical activity, it’s essential to start with the people who face the biggest barriers. These aren’t the people who already have the means or motivation to get involved, they’re the ones who need extra support to even consider being active. For example, 4 in 10 participants (44%) who joined our Get Out, Get Active (GOGA) programme were physically inactive when they started.
Resources to help you get started
1Get Out Get Active Impact Report
Learn how a community-focused approach reached 160,000 people across the UK, with a particular focus on inactive populations.
2Step Change: Working Together Towards and Active Society
Understand how different approaches can create lasting change in activity levels.
3Legacy 2014
See how the Scottish Government used the Commonwealth Games to test new approaches to reaching inactive people.
4Capital of Sport Feasibility Study
Explore how a wellbeing-focused sporting event could look, inspired by lessons from City of Culture.
5Sporting Equality Fund
Learn how events can increase participation among women and girls, with insights from our partnership with the Scottish Government.
Practical steps to engage inactive people
Summary – steps to make sure your event can make a real difference:
- Start with the barriers: Identify what’s stopping people from being active in your community. Is it cost? Transport? Confidence? Build solutions into your event plan.
- Work with trusted partners: Collaborate with local organisations that already have strong relationships in the community. They’ll help you reach the people who need it most.
- Focus on small wins: Success isn’t about big numbers. It’s about creating meaningful, manageable opportunities for people to take their first steps toward activity.
- Think beyond the event: Use the momentum of your event to create pathways for ongoing participation. What happens after the event ends?
Key lessons from experience
We’ve worked with practitioners across the UK to understand what works when it comes to engaging inactive people. Here’s what they’ve learned:
- Set realistic goals: Be clear about what your event can achieve. Are you aiming to reduce inactivity, or is your focus on raising awareness or building community?
- Measure what matters: Don’t just count participation numbers. Look at long-term outcomes like improved wellbeing, increased confidence, or stronger community connections.
- Learn and adapt: Use your event as a chance to test new approaches. What works in one community might not work in another, so be ready to adjust.
More Starter Packs
Creating Long-term Impact For Events
Creating Long-term Impact For Events
Designing Inclusive Events
Designing Inclusive Events
Improving Event Evaluation
Improving Event Evaluation
Embedding and evaluating wellbeing in your projects
Embedding and evaluating wellbeing in your projects
Building social cohesion through events
