The Moving Mums Initiative, launched in 2024, was commissioned by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and delivered in partnership with the Active Pregnancy Foundation, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, and the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine.
Over its six-month duration, the initiative laid the groundwork for improving maternal and infant health outcomes by harnessing the benefits of physical activity. Targeting the neighbourhoods of Burngreave, Parson Cross, and Darnall, it has established a strong foundation for promoting accessible, culturally sensitive, and diverse physical activity programmes for pregnant and postnatal women in these communities.
Professor Hora Soltani, Professor of Maternal and Infant Health at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, led crucial research that identified barriers and facilitators to physical activity access in underserved communities.
Prof Soltani said: "We know that women and babies from underserved communities face huge inequities in accessing services. This is reflected in health inequalities for mothers and babies across the country. The research we conducted as part of the above project provides some important clues where the challenges and facilitators are to improve access to physical activity for underserved communities.
“This project highlights the vital role of accessible, community-led physical activity interventions can have on the health and wellbeing of women and their families. It is imperative this model is evaluated further and rolled out to improve outcomes for women and babies from more communities.”
One of the mums involved in the initiative, Sophie, 38, said: “It was really nice to see some information about the importance of physical activity while being pregnant in the waiting room at the hospital. It’s a time where you get lots of information, so to have it displayed really clearly prompted a discussion between me and my husband while we were in the waiting room about how I can stay active now and then get back to activity after the arrival of my next child. It was also exciting to know that opportunities exist locally to do this with my child as well.”
Key findings include:
- Understanding Barriers: Ï㽶ÊÓƵ identified specific barriers to engagement in physical activity, including cultural constraints, lack of guidance, and limited awareness. Tailored messaging, representative images, and offering choice in activities were found to be essential enablers in overcoming these challenges.
- Upskilling Professionals: The initiative trained 40 professionals through the Active Pregnancy Foundation’s This Mum Moves Ambassador educational programme, creating a multi-disciplinary cohort of professionals who are now equipped to confidently promote physical activity in line with the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines. Additionally, twelve fitness instructors were upskilled by Core Fitness Education to become Level 3 Pre- and Postnatal Exercise Instructors.
- Tailored Resources: New resources, including a local activity brochure, now make it easier for women to find and engage in suitable physical activities across the three target areas.
- Empowering Local Providers: Community organisations, including the Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme, received funding to expand their activity offerings for pregnant and postnatal women.
Dr Marlize De Vivo, Project Lead for the Moving Mums initiative and Portfolio Lead for the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine in Sheffield, said: “The Moving Mums Initiative is a fantastic example of stakeholders coming together to address health inequalities in Sheffield,” said. “This community-driven approach has shown that empowering women with the right tools and support can lead to transformative health outcomes for women and their families.”
The project highlights the need for sustained collaboration, ongoing training for healthcare professionals, and investment in diverse, accessible physical activity programmes. Harnessing technology and deepening community partnerships will be critical to furthering the initiative’s impact.
