As the global conversation around childhood inactivity intensifies, Bradford has become the unexpected trailblazer. Sport England’s JU:MP (Join Us: Move Play) initiative is now delivering the most sustained increase in children’s physical activity ever recorded anywhere in the world.
Backed by a two-year study from Born in Bradford and funded by the NIHR, the place-based programme reached over 30,000 children across the city’s most deprived and diverse areas. The impact is significant – with kids now moving 70 minutes more each week, cutting weekend inactivity by 21 minutes, and gaining the equivalent of 2.5 extra days of activity per year.
The campaign, supported by Sport England Chair Chris Boardman CBE and delivered with Active Bradford and local schools, generated national headlines and sparked interest across UK media, helping cement Bradford as a blueprint for tackling inactivity through community-first design.
Challenge
- Children in disadvantaged communities are among the least active in the UK.
- Traditional activity interventions often fail to make long-term change.
- Sport England wanted to test if a place-based, whole-systems approach could work on a large scale.
Key Statistics
- +70 minutes of weekly physical activity per child
- +6 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous weekday movement
- –21 minutes of weekend inactivity
- 30,000+ children reached
- 107 schools engaged
Action
The JU:MP campaign was designed to embed activity into children’s everyday lives – through schools, homes, mosques, and parks. Among the initiatives: Healthy Madrasas for South Asian communities, school-wide activity policies, co-designed parks for girls, and cycling infrastructure.
Be Broadcast supported on-site filming and logistics from The Academy at St James, with Headteacher Chris Tolson, children, and other key voices including Sport England’s Lisa Dodd-Mayne and Active Bradford’s Sam Bacon appearing across interviews. The campaign highlighted the effectiveness of JU:MP’s whole-systems model and laid the groundwork for scaling the programme across the UK.
Results
- 61 broadcast opportunities across national and regional stations
- Total reach of 54.7 million – growing to 211.8 million including BBC Online
- National hits included BBC Radio 4 Today, BBC Look North, and BBC Online
- Regional saturation through BBC Leeds, Capital, LBC, Heart, Kiss, and Greatest Hits Radio
- Consistent message delivery across all slots: JU:MP is increasing child activity by over 70 minutes per week
Key Takeaways
- JU:MP is the most impactful child activity intervention ever recorded.
- Bradford’s whole-community model offers a national template for tackling inactivity.
- Strong spokesperson alignment – with trusted local and national voices – ensured credibility and scale.
- High media volume and quality helped cement Bradford as a flagship example of Sport England’s place-based strategy.
