Britain is ageing, and that's something to celebrate. People are living longer than ever before, bringing experience, skills and social value to communities across the country. But it also presents a challenge.
Almost one in five people in the UK is now aged 65 or over, and many are living with multiple long-term health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. These conditions can affect mobility, independence and quality of life, while placing growing demands on health and care services.
The good news is that many of the risks associated with ageing are not inevitable.
The NHS is clear that regular physical activity significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, dementia and falls, while helping people maintain strength, balance and independence as they age. The NHS recommends that adults aged over 65 should be active every day, undertake strength and balance activities at least twice a week, and achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate activity every week.
For GLL, operating under the Better brand, helping older people stay active, healthy and connected has been a core part of our mission since we were founded more than three decades ago.
As the UK's largest charitable social enterprise and worker's coop delivering leisure, sport and cultural services, we work with local authority partners to create healthier communities. Supporting active ageing is one of the most effective ways we can achieve that.
More than exercise
The benefits of active ageing extend well beyond physical health.
Regular activity improves confidence, wellbeing and mental health. It helps combat loneliness and social isolation, both of which are increasingly recognised as major public health challenges. Participation in sport and leisure activities creates friendships, support networks and a sense of belonging that often extends far beyond the activity itself.
In many of our centres, older customers tell us that the social connection is every bit as important as the exercise.
That is why affordability and accessibility remain central to our approach. Around 60% of visits made by Better concessionary members are supported through discounted pricing, helping remove cost as a barrier to participation.
Today, more than 18% of GLL's 850,000 members are aged over 60, and this proportion continues to grow.
Reconnecting people with movement
A key ingredient of successful active ageing programmes is offering activities that people genuinely enjoy and feel confident joining.
Across the Better network, activities such as pickleball, walking football, walking cricket and walking netball are helping thousands of older adults stay active in a supportive and welcoming environment.
These adapted sports provide all the enjoyment, teamwork and friendly competition of traditional games, while being accessible to a wider range of abilities and fitness levels.
For many participants, they offer an opportunity to reconnect with sports they may not have played for decades.
In Cornwall, 63-year-old Patrick Thompson was diagnosed with Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia two years ago. Earlier this year he joined a walking cricket session at Liskeard Leisure Centre.
Having enjoyed cricket throughout his life, the slower-paced version of the game provided an ideal way to remain active while managing symptoms that include tremor and muscular rigidity.
‘It's the camaraderie and banter that makes it special,' says Patrick. ‘It makes me feel good.'
Stories like Patrick's demonstrate how physical activity can help people maintain confidence, purpose and social engagement following life-changing diagnoses.
Communities built through activity
The community impact of active ageing programmes can be profound.
At York Leisure Centre, demand from participants led to the introduction of walking netball within the centre's senior club programme. Since launch, dozens of women aged between 54 and 86 have taken part, with some returning to the sport for the first time in more than six decades.
Many have since joined additional activities at the centre, widening their social circles and increasing their levels of physical activity.
Meanwhile, at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre and Barnet FC Stadium, walking football has grown from a small local initiative into a thriving community of more than 170 members aged between 60 and 90.
The programme has expanded to include women's participation and developed partnerships with local charities, including dementia support organisation Forget Me Not. Participants now volunteer at community events, demonstrating how active ageing programmes generate social value far beyond leisure centre walls.
The UK's festival of active ageing – The Better Club Games
Perhaps the best example of what active ageing can achieve is the annual Better Club Games.
Now celebrating 20 years, the Games bring together older adults from across the UK to compete in a wide variety of sports and activities. More than 1,000 people now participate annually through regional competitions and finals, making it one of the country's largest celebrations of sport and active ageing.
Held at London's Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Games feature activities including pickleball, walking football, walking netball, badminton, swimming, table tennis, short mat bowls, cycling, darts and dominoes.
What makes the event special is not simply the competition. It is the pride participants take in representing their communities, the friendships formed through preparation and training, and the powerful challenge it presents to outdated assumptions about ageing.
The Better Club Games demonstrate something we see every day across our services: older people are not passive recipients of support. They are active contributors to stronger, healthier communities.
Looking ahead
As pressure on health and care services continues to grow, prevention has never been more important.
Physical activity is one of the most effective and cost-efficient interventions available for improving health outcomes, maintaining independence and reducing preventable ill health. The NHS recognises that regular activity can lower the risk of major illnesses and help reduce falls, frailty and loss of mobility among older adults.
That is why GLL will continue to invest in innovative programmes, strengthen partnerships with local authorities, the NHS and charities, and ensure older people remain at the heart of our provision.
Because active ageing is not simply about adding years to life. It is about adding life to those years.
Phil Donnay is Chief Executive Designate at GLL
Visit www.gll.org to find out more about these and other services from GLL
