Impact Review 2025/26: Active Lives HIT

The Active Lives Health Integration Team (HIT) brings together researchers, health and care staff, public contributors and VCSE colleagues. They aim to better understand barriers to undertaking physical activity, share the evidence of how physical activity can improve health and well-being, and help to embed this within different pathways. Here are highlights from 2025/26.

3rd July 2026

Reversing frailty through community exercise classes

Clinical trial evidence shows REACT (Retirement in ACTion) community exercise classes can reverse frailty and improve health outcomes cost‑effectively. BNSSG Proactive Care funding has expanded targeted access for people at risk of frailty and falls, delivered by Age UK partners across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Key enablers include partnership working with community organisations to reduce participation barriers and diversifying trainer recruitment to increase reach into ethnically diverse communities. Wesport supported development of the training accreditation to strengthen long‑term capacity.

REACT is now featured on the BNSSG Preventing Falls online hub, which launched in 2025.

Building evidence to scale REACT

In 2025, the HIT secured £1m from the Vivensa Foundation for a three‑year programme to scale REACT, in partnership with Age UK Bristol and supported by the BNSSG ICB. The Universities of Birmingham and Bath are working with ICBs, voluntary organisations and older people in BNSSG and London to identify sustainable delivery models.

Encouraging everyday movement

The HIT supported the Every Move Matters campaign (NHS England South West/Office for Health Improvement and Disparities), promoting small, achievable increases in daily activity. Local ambassadors included public partners Sophia Brown (SHINE HIT) and Dr Subitha Baghirathan (Active Lives HIT).

Supporting children and young people

The HIT continues to support the University of Bristol PASSPORT, programme to increase activity in primary schools.

Work also focuses on improving access to safe, inclusive opportunities for underserved groups, including asylum‑seeking young people living in hotels in Bristol. The HIT is collaborating with Borderlands South West to improve access for women and girls to local physical activity provision (including swimming).