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We are delighted to report that the It’s Great Out There Coalition has been invited to join the European Commission’s Expert Group on ‘Green Sport’. This is a subgroup of the main Expert Group that is responsible for the implementation of the EU Work Plan for Sport (E01564), and in that context, it’s an influential body involving all 27 Member States.
The It’s Great Out There Coalition is delighted to support HealthyLifestyle4All, the European Commission’s two-year campaign that aims to link sport and active lifestyles with health, food and other policies. The coalition and the #itsgreatoutthere campaign that we lead are already key partners for a range of Commission initiatives, embedding the outdoor sector in the development of policy and on-the-ground projects that are designed to encourage and facilitate more active lifestyles for physical and mental wellbeing. HealthyLifestyle4All is the latest initiative that will push that vital agenda throughout Europe and the coalition will play a full and proactive role in it.
One of the trickier tasks for everyone involved in the #itsgreatoutthere campaign is achieving our overarching objective of getting more …
The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) has published details of a major research project with COVID-19 patients, undertaken by …
The whole of Europe is now turning its focus on how society and the economy will recover after the pandemic and that is reflected in the development of some major policy and budget planning that is underway. In that context, the It’s Great Out There Coalition is actively involved in some important public affairs work, encouraging EU members to ensure that sport and physical activity feature in National Recovery and Resilience Plans that are being prepared.
Last December, we held our General Assembly (online, of course), updating our members about activities during 2020 and outlining plans for the year ahead. Despite the exceptional circumstances, we were able to reflect on lots of positive progress. The core message of #itsgreatoutthere resonated more than ever during 2020, and by adapting what we did, we were able to play an important role in the outdoor industry’s response to the pandemic, working closely with our members and other partners.
At #itsgreatoutthere campaign HQ (which moves around, but is usually on a hill or mountain somewhere), we were very interested to see the news that the World Health Organization (WHO) has released new physical activity guidelines, recommending that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week. The guidelines also state that children up to the age of 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each day, and that those activities should be mostly aerobic.
Next week, our colleagues at the European Outdoor Group (EOG) will be participating in an exciting online seminar, organised by the European Network of Outdoor Sports (ENOS). ‘Bringing nature back to our #BeActive lives’ will feature a panel of experts from across the outdoor and sports industry, including EOG President Mark Held, ENOS Chairman Mike McClure, Head of the Nature Unit DG ENV European Commission Nicola Notaro, and elite outdoor sports athlete Kilian Jornet.
Between 7 and 10 October 2019, Brussels was the stage for the Region’s Week, focused on highlighting and understanding how regions and cities are using EU funds to improve citizens’ daily lives and how cohesion policy can help to make Europe greener, more inclusive and smarter. This year’s event brought together over 9,000 participants including more than 600 politicians who will take part in nearly 400 sessions, debates, exhibitions and networking opportunities about the different aspects of cohesion policy.
Cities in which residents are physically active have a big advantage over their more sedentary rivals, with better economic productivity, higher property values and improved school performance, as well as a healthier population.