A new initiative aims to increase physical activity amongst Hartlepool residents thanks to funding from Sport England, which has awarded the town around £309,000 through its Place Expansion programme.
It is part of Sport England’s wider £250 million investment across 90 areas to tackle long-standing inequalities in activity levels and help people be more active.
The funding — secured by a consortium of partners including Hartlepool Borough Council — will support a development phase running until September, during which a long‑term vision and delivery plan will be co‑designed directly with local communities.
Ten trusted community organisations have been commissioned to gather in‑depth insight from residents to try to understand:
- What matters most to local people
- The barriers that prevent people from being active
- What could help communities move more
By listening to residents directly, the aim is to build a long-term approach that enables everyone to be active in ways that matter to them.
This work will initially take place in the Burn Valley, Foggy Furze, Headland, Central Estate, Manor House and Victoria areas, with a particular focus on families, disabled people, older adults, and residents with long‑term conditions.
Organisations gathering the insight include Belle Vue Community Sports and Youth Centre, Community Led Inclusion Partnership, Hartlepool Community Trust, Hartlepool Rovers RFC, Hartlepool Sport, Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation, Kilmarnock Road Children & Young People Family Resource Centre, New Perspectives, Play Out Hartlepool, and The Big League CIC.
To get involved in the project or for more information email hartlepoolplacepartner@gmail.com