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Babybel is encouraging the nation to try a new sport this summer

The excitement is building for an exhilarating summer of sport, however a new study by cheese snack producers Babybel, found that only 20% of us plan on actually playing sport this summer, while 45% admitted to never taking part in any sport at all.

Max Whitlock and Mark Wright sit on a pummel horse and have a chat while eating Babybel cheese.

The survey of 2,000 participants across the UK carried out June 2024 also found 23% of us don’t remember the last time we tried a new sporting hobby, but 29% would feel confident giving something new a try that was outside of our comfort zone. Trending and accessible sport Pickleball was voted the top activity those polled would most like to try, followed by padel, squash, and golf.

To celebrate the incredible sporting season, and to encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new, Babybel teamed up with Heart DJ and sports fanatic Mark Wright who went head-to-head with the pros in a range of different athletic feats.

Mark Wright said:

“I’ve always been passionate about sports, and they’ve played a hugely important part in my life. With such an exciting summer of sport ahead of us, I was buzzing to rise to the challenge Babybel has set for me, to get out of my comfort zone and test my skills against some proper pro’s!”

Leading the charge for the campaign, Mark firstly learnt from prince of the pommel horse, gymnast Max Whitlock, then played a penalty shoot-out with Lioness Legends Millie Turner and Toni Duggan, before having a go at pickleball with Pickleball England player Thaddea Lock.

Competition for grassroots clubs

More than seven in 10 (73%) believe taking part in community sports positively impacts your mental and physical health a great deal, while 82% of those polled agree taking part in such things also has a positive impact on the wider community.

Babybel wants to encourage everyone to join the goodness this summer so is offering grassroots sports teams the opportunity to win up to £5,000 for their club, with three runners up prizes of £1,000.

A spokesperson for Babybel said:

“Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be a daunting prospect, but it can have huge benefits on our wellbeing! Our research showed that lots of us will spend time enjoying watching sport this summer, but Babybel wants to encourage people to join the goodness and get actively involved. As well as setting this challenge for Mark, Babybel has also launched a competition to aid grassroots clubs, as community sport is the perfect environment to help people of all ages to stay active and connect with others in a fun and accessible way.”

To be in with a chance of winning, entrants must enter their club details and why they should win on the Babybel website here.