Evaluation of Live and Move
Client: Exeter City Council
Duration: 6 years
Funder: Sport England
Evaluation approach
The Social Research Unit was commissioned to lead a six-year evaluation using mixed methods which included: annual Local Active Lives Survey (LALS), interviews, focus groups, case studies, and system mapping. This enabled agile, evidence-based decision-making and continuous learning.
Outcomes and impacts
The programme delivered initiatives to tackle health inequalities and encourage healthier lifestyles, including the implementation of active travel friendly environments to support increased walking and cycling. Beyond behaviour change, the work strengthened community trust, inclusivity, and belonging, demonstrating that co-design and long-term engagement are critical to sustainable success.
Key impacts include:
Increased participation in physical activity through community-led projects
Improved mental wellbeing and reduced loneliness via Community Connectors
Stronger partnerships between schools, leisure services, and communities
Inclusive initiatives reduced cultural and gender barriers to activity
Overview
Live and Move was established as part of Sport England’s Local Delivery Pilot to test new ways of tackling inactivity and health inequalities through a Whole Systems Approach and Place-Based Approach. Between 2019–2025, the programme focused on 12 priority neighbourhoods in Exeter and the whole of Cranbrook, identified using deprivation and inactivity data. The programme’s vision was:
Narrow health inequalities and change systems so everyone has equal opportunity to be active and healthy.
The programme’s strategic outcomes were:
Increase physical activity and adoption of healthy lifestyles
Increase walking and cycling supported by active travel-friendly environments
Strengthen community trust, inclusivity, and sense of belonging