Taylor, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Sport and Physical Activity in Parliament, recently met with representatives of Sported, Bedworth Disability Swimming Club, and local active partnership Think Active in her constituency of North Warwickshire and Bedworth to discuss the importance of protecting and promoting participation in sport – and the benefits it unleashes.

Taylor said: “We’ve been talking about the benefits of physical activity, not just for your physical health, but your mental health too. In my constituency though we have one of the lowest levels of participation in exercise across the country so I want to encourage people to get out and get active as we have wonderful parks and open spaces right on our doorstep.”

“For me, it’s all about playing sports and being part of a team. Dealing with the ups and downs and knowing what it feels like to win and lose. If you can deal with failure and get straight back up as part of a team you build up your resilience to deal with the challenges of life. This is so important for young people.”

Sported’s research has found over 55 per cent of community clubs are reporting drops in participation among young people due to financial pressures with cost of fees, travel expenses and price of kit among the reasons indicated. 

But Sport England data shows that the same percentage of adults in deprived areas are not meeting targets of a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week. 

“When I moved back to my hometown, I was contacted by someone I was at school with and they said, ‘please help us come back and play hockey’” Taylor added.

“The club was struggling to get 11 players on the pitch every week, and I went back, and now they’ve got four ladies teams. So that’s just a real success story.

“It’s women from all ages and different walks of life, and they’re all getting together on a Saturday and playing competitive sport, and they’re feeling great, and they’re building a friendship circle, and that’s so important.”

That the wide-ranging benefits of participation in sport and physical activity should be on offer for all is echoed by Sarah Kaye, CEO of Sported, whose new  Grassroots Sport Unleashed strategy is centred on supporting local sports clubs and organisations to strengthen communities and transform lives. 

“There is a risk currently at play where around half of adults in the most deprived areas of the country do not access sport and physical activity,” Kaye said. “And the figure among young people makes for even grimmer reading. It means millions across the UK are missing out on all the life-changing benefits which sport unleashes. 

“We all lose out because of that. Local clubs strengthen their communities by offering inspirational environments while doubling as hubs that bring people together. The economics of this ecosystem remain fragile and we must ensure that their contribution is recognised. And it’s vital that no-one is priced out of being a part of that.  

“Because sport doesn’t just create superstars and champions. It transforms lives for the better. That’s a golden opportunity that so many take up.  

“We’re currently supporting over 5,000 groups across the country with resources and support. Government at all levels and the corporate world are a big part of making that happen. But there is a real return from placing community sport at the heart of social initiatives, and a huge willingness from these organisations to use their reach for the common good.”  

Taylor, as Chair of Westminster’s cross-party group on grassroots sport, is also fighting the battle to ensure its future is secure for another generation.

“I had a group of girls down from the constituency talking to us about some of the barriers to sport, some of the reasons that they gave up playing,” Taylor said.

“We have to be investing in those facilities so that girls and boys have got those opportunities. In areas like ours, that’s not always easy. We’re not a big city centre, we don’t have access to all the same facilities, so things like the Physical Activity Hub here in Bedworth that’s going to be open next spring, where we’re going to be joining loads of sports together, is going to be really crucial to keeping people active.”

Sported was initially established by Sir Keith Mills, one of the masterminds behind London 2012, to provide a legacy from that Olympic and Paralympic Games.  

It has now distributed more than £10 million to grassroots sport clubs and community groups in grant and presently partners with Barclays on its award-winning Community Sport Fund and with Flutter UKI, on its Cash4Clubs programme, both of which target areas of deprivation and under-represented groups. 

“We all see spiralling costs in providing adequate support across mental health in our society,” added Kaye. “Sport can take a lead role in reducing pressures on the NHS and others – if it remains accessible and affordable to all.”