Cookies help our website to remember you and your preferences. For more information or to update your cookie settings, please go to our privacy policy.

Accept Decline
Skip to content.

The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

Menu. Open and close this menu with the ENTER key.

Exercise disabled people's right to be active on National Fitness Day

Friday 26 September is National Fitness Day. This year ukactive will be running National Fitness Day, which is an opportunity for everyone around the country to get active for free. But with disabled people still half as likely to be active as non-disabled people, are providers continuing to miss out on the opportunities to engage everyone in meaningful physical activity?

On National Fitness Day, hundreds of clubs, parks and leisure centres are opening their doors to welcome people for free. They will be holding events and want to ensure National Fitness Day is an inclusive and accessible opportunity. Events can take any form as long as they are free for the public to participate and involve physical activity of some sort. 

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) is a national charity, dedicated to disabled people in sport and physical activity, supporting a wide range of organisations to include disabled people more effectively. One of our successful programmes, Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI), has lead the way to ensure that millions of disabled people can lead active lifestyles. EFDS has a vision that disabled people are active for life.

This year, we have worked with ukactive to encourage the Inclusive Fitness Initiative accredited facilities to be involved in the celebration day. In partnership, we are keen for more disabled people to take part in the opportunities within the accessible environments.

Activities that disabled people want to take part in  

We all know the great things linked to regular exercise including a healthier heart and a better quality of life. Research shows if you exercise in company you are more likely to stick at it.

Disabled people's preference for physical activities is clear in the EFDS Lifestyle Report. Exercise was the most popular sport and physical activity related hobby. It was chosen as a hobby by 46% disabled people overall and the most popular hobby for disabled men (57%).

To attract more disabled customers as well as their family and friends, it is important that sport and fitness providers understand what opportunities are more appealing. Our recent Motivate Me report showed that disabled people want more opportunities that emotionally connect to their lives. Disabled people want opportunities, which enable them to be active wherever and in whatever sport or activity they choose. 

Furthermore, more often than not, disabled people are looking for opportunities, which are as likely to appeal to their non-disabled friends and family. In the Lifestyle Report, more than six in ten (64%) disabled people said they would prefer to take part in sport and physical activity with a mix of disabled and non-disabled people. Fitness providers are in a great position to deliver more opportunities which match this crucial finding.

As well as the gym environment itself, there are lots of examples of facilities delivering mixed classes. Whilst it is acknowledged that a mixed setting of disabled and non-disabled people is not suitable for all sport and physical activity situations, more can be done to increase the number of offers available. For example, the Lifestyle report showed that three in ten disabled people currently use the gym. Gyms are usually within facilities that provide other opportunities such as swimming pools and sports halls. Combining activity offers and promotion placement can have many advantages.

EFDS released Active Together to support providers to learn from others who already deliver activities for mixed groups.

Let’s get physicALL

Inclusive Fitness leads the way in providing accessible physical activity and increasing participation amongst disabled people. EFDS has been delivering the programme for over ten years and in this time has accredited over 400 IFI Mark gym facilities nationally. These gyms realise how important accessibility and service provision is for disabled people.

The IFI Mark is a standard of accreditation which addresses the physical access of the building, accessible fitness equipment, customer service training and exercise programming and marketing to disabled people. Any gym can apply to be audited for the IFI Mark- whether publicly or privately owned.

The Lifestyle report also found disabled people need to be more aware of the local opportunities through improved provider communications and wider connections. A 'Marketing Gyms to Disabled People' kitbag is available to all IFI accredited sites to support these facilities to embed good marketing practices. We also produced a guide to Inclusive Communications in April 2014. This addresses many of the barriers which disabled people face when trying to access opportunities.

Top tips for fitness facilities

  • IFI accreditation: Consider the IFI Mark to celebrate your facility's inclusive environment. It is assessed every three years, accredited at one of three levels to support continuous improvement and ensures inclusion is achievable from entry level to excellence. 
  • Insight on and market research with disabled people: knowing more about the demographics of disabled people, their interests and information points in your local area can really help you to add value and fill in the service gaps. Perhaps set up your own disability forum to support your policies, processes and promotions.
  • Monitor and improve customer services: increase your channels for feedback from disabled customers and the potential customers, who could be tempted to use your facility. It is a crucial part of marketing to identify and satisfy customer needs.
  • Workforce training: as well as your customers, the people who work as staff or volunteers in your facility are your most valuable asset. Training is available to ensure your facility is welcoming to everyone. Perhaps have your own method to recognise their achievements to champion inclusion. Ask IFI about the upcoming customer service training!
  • Use inclusive imagery: include disabled people on promotional and marketing material. This includes leaflets, banners and especially websites. Include imagery which shows disabled people enjoying your facility with non-disabled people. 
  • Widen your reach: identify local disability groups, GP referrals, local public and voluntary organisations. Remember disabled people look for family, work-convenient, mixed ability offers too.
  • Come and try: open days and taster sessions can often be a good way for everyone to experience your facility. Trial periods also support disabled people's decision-making.

If you are a disabled person looking for an inclusive gym near you, visit our facility search here. 

If you are a facility or equipment supplier looking to find out more about the IFI Mark, visit our IFI Mark accreditation section here.

Ukactive's www.nationalfitnessday.com website will give you more information about National Fitness Day and enable you to find Power Half Hour events.