Skip to main content

Search form

Type your search then hit enter
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • About usBack
    • About us
    • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Board
    • Our Partners
    • Current Vacancies
    • Contact Us
    • Governance
  • What We DoBack
    • What We Do
    • Core ServicesBack
      • Core Services
      • Equity
      • Facilities
      • Funding & Support
      • InsightBack
        • Insight
        • Devon receives national investment to help older people get active in nature
      • Marketing & Communications
      • Safeguarding
      • Strategic Networking
      • Volunteer Development
    • ProgrammesBack
      • Programmes
      • Local Programmes
      • Primary Premium
      • School Games
      • Workplace Movement
    • SectorsBack
      • Sectors
      • Commercial
      • Community Groups
      • Education – HE & FE
      • Education – Schools
      • Health
      • Local Authorities
      • NGB
  • Latest
  • Active Partnerships
  • Impact
  • Search
  • Login

Search form

  • Contact Us

You are here

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Live Longer Better: A Community of Practice and Learning for Active Partnerships

Live Longer Better: A Community of Practice and Learning for Active Partnerships

Posted on 29th January 2021
Head and shoulders shot of Sir Muir Gray
  • Local News

Written by Annie Holden, Strategic Health Relationship Manager, Active Oxfordshire

 

Live Longer Better: A Community of Practice and Learning for Active Partnerships

It just makes sense…..

If you have been working in the physical activity and health world for as long as I have, you might share my immediate scepticism (with an associated eyebrow raise) when words used such as ‘radical paradigm shift’, ‘cultural revolution’, ‘re-wiring’ are used to declare what’s needed for fundamentally changing the system to be inclusive of physical activity, across health and social care.  However, having worked with Sir Muir Gray over the last six months I am fully convinced that those ‘words’ which have now become actions, will achieve a change in the system and already describe an active cultural revolution which is expanding exponentially. 

Sir Muir not only believes in the power of physical activity but expertly and eloquently can translatethe extensive scientific evidence base into clear, pragmatic advice and guidance,  which just makes sense! He is also a regular contributor into the national press and of course lead and co-author on many scientific papers and editorials of scientific journals, including the BMJ and the Lancet (to name but only a few).  He just makes sense!

Fortunately for us, Muir lives in Oxfordshire and we began working with him over a year ago now, when he featured in our local ‘fighting inactivity’ short film.  Through continued working with him, Muir quickly recognised that Active Partnerships are uniquely placed to address a key issue collaboratively and proactively, which we are all very familiar with.  The over 80s population will double within ten years, with the majority of those aged over 65 likely to experience poor health for more than half of their remaining years.  The impact of COVID-19 is exacerbating these issues and makes this an urgent and vitally important problem, particularly as home confinement for some is causing significant increases in disability, frailty and dependence.  Whilst the roll-out of the vaccinations give us all hope and are tremendously important, this will not resolve depression, anxiety and deconditioning.  As we know, physical activity is an important factor in staying healthy – both physically and mentally, and can play a key role in Covid-19 resilience and therefore reduce the already excessive demand on health and social care.  We know that the imperative is to act now, to enable transformational change for our ageing population. 

Throughout COVID-19, we (Active Partnerships) have demonstrated our adaptability, agility and resilience to respond to our local communities’ urgent needs, particularly those most vulnerable. As strategic organisations, we recognise activity levels are affected by a complex system of influences and no single organisation or programme can create sustainable change at scale.  With an in-depth understanding of our local communities and our cross sector partnerships, Muir recognised that we are well placed to lead this transformational change for older people through the power of physical activity. 

 Back in September 2020, Muir encouraged us to galvanise a community of practice and learning amongst Active Partnerships, to see who was interested in joining this ‘collaborative movement’.   Our Chief Exec Paul Brivio, together with Adrian Ledbury from the National Team convened a meeting and invited all interested Active Partnerships to attend.  Muir explained that to address the problem, this requires a radical paradigm shift, creating a cultural revolution, moving away from the assumption that people will inevitably need more ‘care’ the longer they live, to a culture in which people are expected to regain and improve physical and cognitive ability lost through inactivity and isolation.    

By November, 17 Active Partnerships (APs)  formed the ‘Live Longer Better Community of Practice and Learning’.   We were about to embark on a movement that would address system design, enable network development and create the cultural revolution that is captured in the visual below: ‘Live Longer Better’:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We realised, that by working with Muir and his Optimal Ageing Associates, our ability to implement this change will be achieved in a more time efficient manner and with significantly greater impact.  Sir Muir’s reputation, contacts and network in the health sector and his links to academia are key.  Sir Muir acts as a spokesperson and medical expert with decades of experience and learning in how best to address population health challenges and the systems in place to support this objective.   Live Longer Better will act as an exemplar of how a collaborative, systems change approach is more effective than short term, output-focused project delivery.

 

What have we done so far?

  • Provided 5 weekly workshops, held very Wednesday from 10.00 - 12.00 for the AP community of practice, with on average, 22 attending each week.  The workshops consist of Muir’s Optimal Ageing Live Longer Better professional development learning programmes, leadership development and exchange of resources, sharing good practice and case studies.
  • Muir has had 1 to 1 sessions with each of the Active Partnerships, plus attends their local strategic meetings to act as a key enabler and influencer.
  • Each AP member has access to Muir’s online learning resources and a bespoke website (developed by ‘Learning with Experts’), supporting the professional development programme, designed to contribute to a change in culture.
  • A first meeting with key National organisations was held in December, supported by the AP National team; its aim is to be pro-active to enable cross transference of information from local Active Partnerships with this National Advisory Network (inwards and outwards).  Individual meetings with National organisations continue, to scope future working and determine tangible benefits.
  • Our first National Event was held on 21st January with some excellent presenters, including of course, Sir Muir Gray.  With only 1 weeks’ notice of the event, 218 attended, with great representation across sectors.  

 Thank you so much for such an informative and useful webinar and many thanks to the fantastic speakers for presenting their inspirational projects and activities to us”.  Sadia

“Brilliant session, best one I've been to for a long time!! Totally inspired!!” Deborah

 

What next?

The cultural revolution is fully charged and underway – but a way to go yet.  Weekly workshops continue, with 2 further national events to be held.   We are also considering what the future looks like for LLB beyond this initial phase 1,  to end of March, particularly how to galvanise other local partners into the LLB movement, and importantly how to resource the on-going initiative and management of it.   By the very nature of the task in hand, the LLB movement has to have longevity and sustainability. 

 

Sir Muir Gray – what an inspiration!                      Viva la revolution….

 

Fellow revolutionaries, feel free to contact me with your views and / or take a look at our website for more information Annie 

annieholden@activeoxfordshire.org 

Related stories

two men walking, talking and smiling in winter coats outside on a dry day.
Local News
“It’s good to know I’m not alone.” How Move Together is tackling loneliness across Oxfordshire

Winter is on the way, and tackling loneliness is never more important than during the colder and darker month

Read more...
newspaper article
Network News
Live Longer Better – the Revolution gathers pace …..

April saw the launch of the next phase of Live Longer Better, following a pilot phase led by Active Oxfordshire and Optimal Ageing.

Read more...
Go Back

Filter posts by region

Popular Tags

Awards
Softball
Opening Schools Facilities
Investment Funds
Early years
Board
StayInWorkOut
People
Leicestershire and Rutland Sport
Environment

Most Popular Posts

Paul Faulkner Appointed Chairman of Sport Birmingham
Embedding physical activity messaging in vaccination centres and hubs
Active Partnerships Coach Core Apprenticeships recognised at National Awards

Archives

  • November 2015 (5)
  • December 2015 (4)
  • February 2016 (5)
  • March 2016 (3)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (8)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • July 2016 (10)
  • August 2016 (3)
  • September 2016 (13)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • January 2017 (8)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • May 2017 (8)
  • June 2017 (14)
  • July 2017 (9)
  • September 2017 (11)
  • October 2017 (11)
  • November 2017 (5)
  • December 2017 (5)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • March 2018 (3)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (9)
  • June 2018 (6)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • August 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (9)
  • October 2018 (11)
  • November 2018 (5)
  • December 2018 (6)
  • January 2019 (6)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • March 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (8)
  • May 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (7)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • October 2019 (6)
  • November 2019 (7)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • January 2020 (5)
  • February 2020 (7)
  • March 2020 (7)
  • April 2020 (14)
  • May 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (9)
  • July 2020 (8)
  • August 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (11)
  • November 2020 (8)
  • January 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (7)
  • March 2021 (7)
  • May 2021 (9)
  • June 2021 (6)
  • July 2021 (8)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • October 2021 (4)
  • November 2021 (10)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • January 2022 (5)
  • February 2022 (3)
  • March 2022 (6)
  • April 2022 (10)
  • May 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (7)
  • July 2022 (4)
  • August 2022 (3)
  • September 2022 (6)
  • November 2022 (14)
  • December 2022 (4)
  • January 2023 (10)
  • February 2023 (5)
  • March 2023 (12)
  • April 2023 (4)
  • May 2023 (6)

@ActivePartners_
Follow us

  • Thank you for taking the time to share your amazing place based working. Every community needs to find their… https://t.co/FNGlkm1ykc
    POSTED ON 24 May
  • @RMActiveLancs @TaAFTalks @ActiveLancs @SteadYvonne @TheMSF_ @Sport_England @StreetGamesNor1 @MSactivelancs Great w… https://t.co/PpvaideEAh
    POSTED ON 24 May
  • We are recruiting a new Business Support Officer for the national team. By joining the team, you'll become part of… https://t.co/IOR0h990z8
    POSTED ON 24 May

Follow us

Newsletter Sign-up

Be the first to hear news and opportunities from the Active Partnerships

You may have noticed we have a new brand, and the CSP Network is now known as Active Partnerships

Contact us

Telephone
07788 296161

Email
info@ActivePartnerships.org

Copyright © 2023 Active Partnerships All rights reserved.
  • Site Map
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
Site design by EHD