New £250K Partnership to Help Pregnant and Post-Natal Women Stay Active

A major new partnership has been announced between Sport England and The Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF) to help expectant and new mothers overcome barriers to physical activity, backed by more than £250,000 of National Lottery funding.

The collaboration will focus particularly on women living with disabilities, those facing mental health challenges, and those at risk of long-term health conditions – groups who are often among the least active in society and underserved by the sports and fitness sector.

Research shows that staying active during pregnancy can have profound health benefits, including reducing the risk of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and post-natal depression by up to 67%. Yet, many pregnant and post-natal women face persistent barriers, from a lack of tailored resources to societal misconceptions about exercise during pregnancy.

“This partnership will make an enormous impact – not just to individual women’s lives, but to the wider system supporting maternal health and physical activity,” said Joanne Cound, Sport England’s Head of Investment.

The initiative aligns with Uniting the Movement, Sport England’s 10-year strategy to make sport and activity accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstances. It also builds on the success of campaigns such as This Girl Can, which has already targeted pregnant and post-natal women as a priority group.

Dr. Marlize De Vivo, Co-Chief Executive of APF, called the collaboration a “game-changer” for women’s health.

“It gives us the resources and recognition to reach more women than ever, and unapologetically focus on driving system-wide change where it’s needed most,” she said. “We founded the charity at a time when women’s health was still largely overlooked and undervalued. This partnership fuels our commitment to rewriting the story of women’s health.”

Since its founding in 2020, APF has built a national presence by educating and supporting those working with pregnant and post-natal women, raising industry standards, and bridging knowledge gaps in maternal health and activity.

This new funding will expand on previous joint projects, including This Mum Moves, the Active Mums Start with You programme, and tailored Couch to Fitness resources – all aimed at making it easier for women to be active safely during and after pregnancy.

With this partnership, Sport England and APF aim to shift both policy and culture, ensuring that every woman has the knowledge, support, and opportunity to move her body with confidence through every stage of motherhood.