Active Local

What is Active Local? 

Active Local is Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership’s collaborative place-based initiative. It supports targeted communities in highlighting their strengths, whilst also responding to local need and identifying where support, intervention or extra capacity could help create a more joined-up approach to tackling inequalities and reducing physical inactivity.   

Adopting Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) principles, we seek to use sport and physical activity to address inactivity, social disadvantage, and health inequalities within a targeted community in each of Hertfordshire’s 10 District and Borough Council areas. Areas have been selected using key insights and in conjunction with the respective local authority and Public Health Hertfordshire’s Intelligence Unit. Our 10 target areas can be found below. 

 

Spotlight Areas

As of January 2024, Active Local has transitioned to having three Active Local officers increasing their time spent each week in our ‘Spotlight’ areas. These areas are; Waltham Cross (Broxbourne), Bedwell (Stevenage) and Cowley Hill (Hertsmere). 

These areas have been identified as they are the highest areas of need in Hertfordshire, facing the highest inactivity and deprivation levels. Increasing officer resource in these areas will enable the officers to have a greater impact in their work, by investing more in those that need it most.  

 

The role of the Active Local Officers

Across the team, officers have completed an in-depth mapping of their areas and have access to Local Insight, a platform that can provide us with the latest data and analysis for communities and wards such as jobs and economy, population, services and housing.  

Relationships are key for the Active Local Team working closely with the respective district or borough council and those who live and work in the areas that know their communities best. The aim is to develop communities where physical activity and sport are valued and accessible, particularly to those with the least opportunity due to inequality. 

If you would like to find out more about Active Local please email Claire Stratford, c.stratford@herts.ac.uk or find your respective Active Local Officer below:

 

District	Active Local area	Officer	Email
Broxbourne	Spotlight Area - Waltham Cross	Matt Ridley	m.ridley2@herts.ac.uk
Hertsmere	Spotlight Area - Cowley Hill	Charlotte Stringer	c.stringer2@herts.ac.uk
Stevenage	Spotlight Area - Bedwell	Jess Baird	j.baird2@herts.ac.uk
Dacorum	Bennetts End		activelocal@herts.ac.uk
East Herts	Sele	Adam Howard	adam.howard@activeinthecommunity.org.uk
North Herts	Jackmans	Adam Howard	adam.howard@activeinthecommunity.org.uk
St Albans	Sopwell		activelocal@herts.ac.uk
Three Rivers	South Oxhey		activelocal@herts.ac.uk
Watford	Holywell		activelocal@herts.ac.uk
Welwyn Hatfield	Peartree		activelocal@herts.ac.uk

 

Funding 

The Active Local Team will be able to offer differing levels of support concerning funding depending on your needs. Most of the time, the Team will help signpost you to suitable funding streams where possible. 

Such as the Sport England Movement Fund.

Please also visit our Funding page to find out about the latest funding opportunities.