We received 3,281 responses to the Let’s Talk Active survey and held 228 engagement events from September to November 2024.
| How unhappy or happy are you with the following? | Percentage of respondents who were very happy | Percentage of respondents who were happy | Percentage of respondents who were neutral | Percentage of respondents who were unhappy | Percentage of respondents who were very unhappy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My current level of activity | 16% | 40% | 17% | 20% | 7% |
| Opportunities to be active | 14% | 36% | 22% | 20% | 7% |
What you told us about being active
74% of people said they did 30 minutes or more of physical activity at least 3 or 4 days a week.
While many people were happy with their activity levels, 1 in 4 people were unhappy or very unhappy.
The most popular outdoor activities were walking, cycling, running and swimming.
Fitness classes, swim sessions and gym sessions were the most popular indoor activities.
What’s stopping people from being more active
Younger people are most affected by time and price, while older people and those with health conditions face other challenges.
| What are the main factors that affect your ability to be active? | Percentage of respondents who said it affected them a lot or quite a bit of and the total who responded about that factor |
|---|---|
| Price | 33% of 2,374 responses |
| Health condition | 30% of 2,368 responses |
| Awareness | 17% of 2,274 responses |
| Travel | 28% of 2,297 responses |
| Time | 42% of 2,309 responses |
| Childcare | 13% of 2,207 responses |
| Suitability | 27% of 2,252 responses |
How well leisure centres met your needs
39% of people said their leisure centre met their needs well or very well. However, 1 in 3 people said their leisure centre did not meet their needs very well or met them at all.
What worked well:
- welcoming and supportive staff
- variety of classes and activities
- good facilities and equipment
- social opportunities
- convenient locations and flexible timings
What needed improvement:
- limited class availability and timetables
- cost concerns
- facility issues
- accessibility challenges
- booking and membership problems
Encouraging you to use leisure services more
Healthy weight, health conditions, beginners’ sessions and informal activities are most likely to encourage people to be more active in using leisure services.
| How much would the following encourage you to be more active in using the leisure service | Percentage of respondents who said it would encouage them a lot or quite a bit of and the total who responded about that option |
|---|---|
| Informal activity | 27% of 2,347 responses |
| Health weight sessions | 28% of 2,366 responses |
| Health conditions sessions | 28% of 2,394 responses |
| Gender specific sessions | 15% of 2,291 responses |
| Family sessions | 14% of 2,277 responses |
| Disability sports sessions | 9% of 2,292 responses |
| Beginners sessions | 27% of 2,436 responses |
People want to see lower costs and more activities to increase participation and more health and wellbeing services and community sessions.
Priorities for improvement
Community sports facilities (73%), health and wellbeing programmes (61%) and disability-inclusive facilities (49%) were ranked as top priorities.
| What are your priorities for us to focus on? | Percentage of 2,086 respondents who ranked it in the top three of their priorities |
|---|---|
| Community sports facilities | 73% |
| Disability and inclusive facilities | 49% |
| Health and wellbeing programmes | 61% |
| Open spaces | 43% |
| Outdoor pitches | 12% |
| Sports halls | 17% |
| Swimming pools | 36% |