Andrew Lawton
@andrewlawton.bsky.social
460 followers 330 following 250 posts
Strategic Lead Marketing & Communications (Health) at Greater Manchester Moving - views my own.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gmmoving.co.uk
Congratulations to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust on their #ActiveHospitals commitment launched last week.

The trust will be using movement and physical activity to raise patient wellbeing, recovery, and give time back to patients👏

More: www.gmmoving.co.uk/news/manches...
A photo of the audience at the Active Hospitals launch
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gm-vcfse-leaders.bsky.social
Read our response to yesterday's attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester.
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gmmoving.co.uk
We are deeply saddened by the attack at Heaton Park’s synagogue yesterday.

Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all members of the Jewish community.

Manchester City Council have a book of condolence at the Central Library and online here, for messages of support: orlo.uk/WvTRF
Manchester City Council book of condolence
orlo.uk
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gmmoving.co.uk
Our GM Moving Conference is a chance to witness #GMMovingInAction. This year, we brought together over 1000 people to connect, learn and celebrate movement.

Catch up on the stories and learnings from the day: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx6EpXR4Ib9mBrm9sighj-Oi8SAnd1Olw&si=pH1kkiIUGEAIfEDq
Panel of speakers seated on stage at the GM Moving Conference 2025 discussing inclusion and change in Greater Manchester. The post features a quote from SportingEquals: "The GM Moving Conference 2025 was a celebration of movement, inclusion and the people powering real change across Greater Manchester".
andrewlawton.bsky.social
So many great stories being shared by @gmmoving.co.uk today as part of our #GMMovingInAction celebration day.

It's not just our work, so much has been done alongside and in collaboration with our valued partners.

Do check them out and share what clicks with you.
gmmoving.co.uk
In July, over 800 people from Trafford Talking Therapies and local GP surgeries marked the NHS' 77th birthday with a one-of-a-kind #Parkrun.

See how movement brought this community together: https://www.gmmoving.co.uk/news/creating-active-schools-a-whole-school-approach/

#GMMovingInAction #NHS
A group of people run the parkrun route through leafy Longford Park on a sunny day.
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gmmoving.co.uk
Today we've been proud to share just a small selection of the stories of progress across Greater Manchester, celebrating 4 years of #GMMovingInAction.

Thank you for joining us, and to all our partners working with us for #ActiveLivesForAll. 🤸‍♀️👨‍🦽⛹️‍♀️🌳

Active Partnerships
Purple background with white text thanking participants for celebrating movement with Greater Manchester Moving using #GMMovingInAction.
andrewlawton.bsky.social
#GMMoving Team Day on demonstrating collective impact, storytelling to influence change, and embedding the skills and capabilities to do it successfully.

It's also #GMMovingInAction Celebration Day as we celebrate all the amazing work happening throughout GM to support #ActiveLivesForAll.
gmmoving.co.uk
Four years ago, partners across #GreaterManchester launched GM Moving in Action. Today we are celebrating the incredible progress being made across our city region.

Join in! Share your own stories with #GMMovingInAction Active Partnerships
Purple banner with white text promoting #GMMovingInAction to celebrate and share stories about Greater Manchester Moving.
andrewlawton.bsky.social
New blog from new Sport England CEO Simon Hayes to mark #NationalFitnessDay.

"The evidence demonstrates that [physical inactivity] is not just a health issue – it’s a social and economic one as well."

@gmmoving.co.uk
sport-england-se.bsky.social
National Fitness Day is a wonderful celebration of the joy of movement, but also a rallying call – a reminder that if more people, from every walk of life, are moving more often, the benefits ripple far beyond the individual.

Read more: https://www.sportengland.org/blogs/powered-you
andrewlawton.bsky.social
So much work over the past 12 months, and only a fraction of it can be included in our annual Story of the Work.

Huge thanks to all the partners who continue to support #GMMovingInAction and #UnitingTheMovement.

Get in touch if you've any questions about what we do, how we do it, or our impact.
gmmoving.co.uk
We’re proud to share highlights from another year of #GMMovingInAction, in the latest Story of our work.

These stories show how partners and communities in #GreaterManchester are helping people move more, feel better, and live well.

🔗 www.gmmoving.co.uk/media/w4sd0g...

#ActiveLivesForAll
Cover page of the GM Moving Story of our work 24-25, featuring a smiling team of young women in sports gear.
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
10gm.bsky.social
🍂 Don’t miss out – the deadline for GM Walking Grants is just days away! Your project could help people keep moving and connecting even as the weather turns colder.
✅ Apply today: buff.ly/7ELkUcE
andrewlawton.bsky.social
In relation to health, the report says "the current health system fails to formally recognise nature as a health-promoting asset".

They want access to nature as a statutory public health responsibility and mandate green social prescribing as a core component of NHS and public health strategies.
andrewlawton.bsky.social
40 recommendations in this APPG on Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature report.

Bolton West MP @philbrickellmp.bsky.social describes it as a "historic opportunity to improve access for everyone" with "clear policy priorities ministers can deliver".

outdoors.inparliament.uk/news/mps-cal...
MPs Call for Reforms to Advance Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature in England
outdoors.inparliament.uk
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
nisreenalwan.bsky.social
Public health shouldn’t be centred around individual behaviour change. It should be focused on changing the wider commercial, social, environmental & ultimately political determinants of health. Behaviour change will naturally come when healthy behaviours are facilitated by those structural changes.
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
gmmoving.co.uk
We’re #Hiring a Sport and Physical Activity Welfare Lead. Join us to create safer, more inclusive spaces across Greater Manchester, strengthen #Safeguarding, and support clubs, youth and community groups.

Apply: www.gmmoving.co.uk/get-involved...

Know someone who is a great fit? Share this post!
A happy team photo of GM Moving on a sunny day, against a purple background, with GM Moving logo and 'We're hiring!' banner across the top.
andrewlawton.bsky.social
Space to play is essential not "nice to have".

We can build more housing AND create spaces which encourage movement, play, and physical activity.

There's many positives from good play spaces: activity, time outside, cognitive development, physical skills etc.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Children in England ‘face barriers to outdoor play due to poor planning’
‘Fragmented’ policies leading councils to prioritise approval of housebuilding over parks, study finds
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Andrew Lawton
joesarling.bsky.social
On complicated topics I reach for @frameworks.bsky.social research & comms advice.

1. Lead with moral arguments in contentious communication contexts.
2. Focus on shared humanity more than rights-based language.
3. Explain specific solutions.
4. Emphasize the collective benefits of immigration.
4 Insights for Navigating the Political Discourse on Immigration
Immigrants are under attack in the United States. In recent weeks we’ve seen executive orders and congressional legislation targeting immigrants in unprecedented ways, and many of us are experiencing ...
www.frameworksinstitute.org
andrewlawton.bsky.social
There's the physical environment and a social norms aspect to this.

Something highlighted by colleagues at #LondonSport with their #MoreBallGames campaign.

Watch their video: www.change.org/p/join-the-m...
Sign the Petition
Join the MORE BALL GAMES Movement – Reclaim Physical Activity, Movement and Play 🏀⚽
www.change.org
andrewlawton.bsky.social
Key point via @m--ferguson.bsky.social:

“Need to take proactive steps to encourage outdoor activities and ensure children lead healthy and active lives."

We can design play-friendly neighbourhoods and safer urban environments back in.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

HT @sfrost.bsky.social
Third of children do not play outdoors after school, UK research finds
Study finds outdoor play has positive effect on children’s social and emotional skills
www.theguardian.com
andrewlawton.bsky.social
83% want the Government to take action to tackle pavement parking in England, new RAC research shows.

A previous Transport Committee report in 2019 noted that previous action to tackle it had been “slow and … not improved people’s day-to-day lives.”

media.rac.co.uk/drivers-divi...
Drivers divided on how to tackle pavement parking in England – but most want action
UK Government due to announce next steps on tackling problem pavement parking in England
media.rac.co.uk