Spring 2026: News and updates from across the sector

Everyone Active and EGYM partner to launch first Smart Strength facility  

Everyone Active has partnered with EGYM to launch its first Smart Strength facility at Winchester Sport and Leisure Park. The installation of the eight-piece EGYM Circuit and Fitness Hub has been designed to improve Everyone Active’s personalised fitness offering and provide data-led insight into members’ training.   

The initial launch at Winchester will be followed by two further EGYM installations at Bedworth Physical Activity Hub and Stratford Leisure Centre, scheduled for early 2026.   

The equipment will be available to all Everyone Active members at the participating sites, including those on the GP referral scheme.  

Each customer will be guided through a 60-minute onboarding session, which includes a full-body workout on the EGYM Fitness Hub and Smart Strength equipment. The Smart Strength equipment provides AI-powered on-screen exercise guidance, which can remove several barriers to strength training.   

As part of the onboarding, members will also undergo a comprehensive fitness level and body analysis, which includes an assessment of flexibility and metabolism. The PT will highlight the areas where targeted training can support improvements in BioAge (biological age). Once completed, EGYM machines will automatically configure to the customer’s set-up each time they use the equipment.

£40m additional funding for Scottish sport  

Welcoming the additional funding announced by the Scottish Government’s recent budget, Maureen Campbell, Chair of sportscotland, said: 

“The additional £40m of funding from the Scottish Government will strengthen the foundations of the nation’s sporting system and ensure that opportunities are available to more people, in more communities, across the country. 

“It will also allow us to deliver our key ambition to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn basic swimming skills and be confident in and around water. 

“This investment will enhance Scotland’s capacity to deliver an accessible and inclusive sporting system that maximises participation and the benefits of sport. 

“In June, Scotland will compete in the World Cup for the first time since 1998, while Glasgow will once again host the Commonwealth Games in July. 

“The Summer of Sport initiative is an excellent way to celebrate these achievements, and the hundreds of free events that will be available can inspire people to get involved and open up as many sporting opportunities as possible.” 

Basildon Council Cabinet endorses continued partnership for Basildon Community Health Model 

Basildon Council’s Cabinet has approved continued partnership working with Sport for Confidence CIC to further develop the Basildon Community Health Model. They noted the strong progress already made and endorsed the council’s ongoing collaboration to improve equity and accessibility for residents in managing and maintaining their health and wellbeing.  

The decision supports a proactive, person-centred approach to adult social care outcomes and strengthens the council’s readiness for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), positioning Basildon as a leader in early intervention, prevention and community-based health solutions.  

The Basildon Community Health Model brings together Occupational Therapy, community-based physical activity and lived experience to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities and support early intervention and prevention. The approach aligns with the NHS 10-Year Plan and demonstrates how councils can work across systems to deliver sustainable, inclusive services.  

Sport for Confidence CIC is working in partnership with Basildon Council, Everyone Active and Active Essex to lead delivery of the model, ensuring residents receive the right support at the right time through a structured, accessible pathway.  

By embedding occupational therapy expertise at the front door of the service and within community provision, the model reduces barriers to participation, prevents escalation of need and supports residents to build confidence, independence and long-term wellbeing. It also complements council investment in inclusive and accessible environments across the borough’s leisure facilities and public spaces.  

New research from Women in Sport shows that sports coaching in the UK is a hostile environment for women 

Coaches are the backbone of sport in the UK, from grassroots to high performance. They give their time, energy and expertise to support others to be active, to find joy and belonging in sport, achieve their potential and win medals and trophies. 

Millions of people coach across the UK each year. Around half are paid in some capacity, even if only for an hour a week. Coaches are passionate, committed and love what they do. 

But this research shows that for too many women, coaching is not experienced as safe, fair or sustainable:

• 30 % of women coaches report experiencing bullying compared to 15% of men.

• 18 % fewer women than men say their opinions are heard and respected.

Women coaches face discrimination, their voices are marginalised and their competence is more frequently challenged. Coaching is often treated as informal labour, characterised by insecure contracts, unclear progression routes and inconsistent support. While this lack of structure affects all coaches, women are disproportionately disadvantaged. 

For women, coaching is not only precarious, it is deeply unequal. Bullying and harassment are part of the reality too, which many women navigate simply for doing their jobs. In a system that offers less security, less support and greater risk, women leaving coaching is often framed as a personal choice. This research shows it is anything but. 

This is a systemic issue. It is about how sport responds when women hold authority and what happens when that authority is not respected, protected or valued. 

Conducted in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University, the report is the most in-depth study of its kind into the experiences of coaches. Drawing on the voices of 2,000 coaches and 67 senior leaders in sport, the research shows the realities of what it is like to be a sports coach in the UK today. 
 

Live Better – new digital wellness platform from GLL to widen and deepen community impact 

Charitable social enterprise GLL launched an enhanced digital health and wellbeing platform on 7 January 2026 via its Better UK app. 

‘Live Better’ – offered free to some 362,000 existing members – will also be available for a monthly £9.50 fee to non-members. This gives a convenient at-home wellness option for those who don’t live near a Better leisure centre or who don’t want to visit a physical location to exercise. 

Working out at home increases total exercise frequency, helping people get more movement into their daily routine. 

It is hoped Live Better will help hard-to-reach groups who struggle to take part in exercise for physical, social or economic reasons get more active, democratising health and wellbeing. 

In a poll of 2,000 adults conducted by GLL in December 2025, 60% of respondents aged 18–44 said they would use a health and fitness app to help achieve their goals in 2026. 

GLL hopes to use the new platform to reinforce its social enterprise values, reach and engage new audiences and customers, and add value to all membership types while improving health outcomes.