System Leadership: Active Communities

Our Active Communities Officers continue to build strong place-based relationships that support their work and the work of key partners across the County. Partners include District Council departments, Norfolk County Council, Public Health, NHS, Police, Multi-faith organisations, VCSE organisations, physical activity providers and many more. The Active Community Officer role helps to bridge the gap between these organisations and supports weaving physical activity into policy, strategy, and delivery across a breadth of partners. 

To order to support the bespoke Framework for Action in each place, the Active Communities team can access a series of funding pots that provide much needed funds. During 2024/2025, the team leveraged £2,959,098 via the Big Norfolk Holiday Fun programme, Opening Schools Facilities, Active NoW and Health and Wellbeing Partnership grants. This funding has a direct impact on local communities and is specifically tailored to meet local need.  

Within the 53 places Sport England announced in 2024-25 for expanding their Place Partnership work, King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, and Great Yarmouth were within the first phase to receive investment. So far this has secured £173,166 across both places.

Stronger relationships and a greater understanding of each place has given the Active Communities team the opportunity to design bespoke interventions for each of the Districts in the County. These ‘Framework for Action’ documents set out the key priorities in each place based on objective evidence and subjective experience from the people that live and work there. These priorities allow Active Norfolk to focus its work on where physical activity can be best used as a tool to improve outcomes for residents. Underpinning each Framework for Action is a clear action plan that will guide Active Norfolk’s work for the future. 

Our Active Communities team have enabled improved understanding of physical activity provision in place, helping to identify gaps and awareness of existing projects. They have supported the development of community programmes on offer, and created better connections between organisations and communities; with a particular focus on those facing inequalities.