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As a country, we have had our fair share of inspiring sporting moments so far this year: the determination of England’s men as they reached the Euros final, Andy and Jamie Murray’s first – and last – Wimbledon doubles match as partners and the impressive rise of teenage darts player Luke Littler, to name just three. 

Time and time again we see evidence that sport is a powerful force in children’s lives; watching it, either live or on TV, has the power to inspire and participating in sport can be transformative.  

Taking part in a sport provides many benefits for children, such as developing communication skills, creating lasting friendships and building confidence. Sport teaches them about setting and achieving goals, helping them to understand their emotions and redirect negative feelings in a positive way, building resilience, and making them feel better about themselves.  

Children were vocal about their love for sport and being active in The Big Ambition. As the next big sporting moment gets underway this evening, with the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and the Paralympic Games following shortly after, I wanted to take a deeper look at what children have told me.  

It was clear in The Big Ambition that many children value the benefits of exercise in their daily lives. One 14-year-old boy said: “I think the government should focus on more healthy food options in schools… and also have more exercise instead of [just] once a week.” 

A 13-year-old girl echoed this sentiment, saying: “Not enough children have the motivation, space or resources to do sport outside of school and it shows in both young people’s mental and physical health. I think that there should be more time for PE lessons in schools and more learning on life skills.” 

This desire for more physical activity wasn’t limited to young people. One adult responding on behalf of a young person suggested that “having a daily slot in the school day when everyone does at least 40 minutes of exercise” would be beneficial.  

Several responses in The Big Ambition highlighted a lack of sports resources. One 11-year-old boy said there should be “more sports equipment” in schools, while an adult responding on behalf of an eight-year-old boy said the government should look to “introduce more sports resources at school to have more choice of things to play with in the playground”.  

Children were also concerned about a lack of organised sport and club activities in their area with one nine-year-old boy suggesting there should be “more clubs” for sport, and an eight-year-old girl wanting “free swimming lessons, more space, and healthy food to eat”. 

Access to outdoor spaces to keep active were key themes among the responses in The Big Ambition. One 10-year-old said there should be “better activities, clubs, and parks in my area”. Younger children were also vocal about outside spaces, with one seven-year-old saying the government should “make better outdoor play areas for us, not just parks for older children” and better community spaces for keeping fit were mentioned by other children, with a 10-year-old saying “they should refurbish parks with sports pitches and exercise equipment so people that don’t have a garden to exercise have a place to play sports, enjoy themselves and keep fit and healthy”.  

The notion of fun was picked up in responses in The Big Ambition – not everyone wants to play sport competitively but still recognise the importance of leisure time. One 14-year-old girl summarised this: “A lot of activities you have to do to compete. I don’t know how to start; I want to do clubs where I can just try out something new. I want to just try something fun.” 

The range of different activities showcased at the Olympics and Paralympics demonstrate what human beings are capable of, no matter their background or circumstances. Sport can be a uniting force and a leveller, as long as access is provided early-on and equally around the country.  

I want to wish the entire Team GB the best of luck for the Games. I am excited for children to watch them, and other athletes from all around the world, take on this historic tournament and, maybe, find new heroes among them to be inspired by. 

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