Sport & Physical Activity Health & Wellbeing
2022 Free
GoodGym

Evaluation shows GoodGym increases physical activity and wellbeing (Ecorys independent evaluation)

GoodGym's published summary of an independent evaluation by Ecorys (carried out in 2021, published February 2022) found that taking part in GoodGym has a significant positive impact on wellbeing and physical activity. People involved for 4-8 months showed a statistically significant improvement in mental wellbeing, with average scores rising from 49.1 to 51.2, an average increase of 4%, and 41.3% of runners saw a meaningful rise of over three points. Older people visited by GoodGymers felt less socially isolated and less lonely, with those often feeling lonely falling from 32% to 24%, and people volunteering once a week rose by 29% after joining.

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About

GoodGym is a community of runners, walkers and cyclists who combine getting fit with doing good, stopping off on their runs to help community organisations and to visit and support isolated older people.

Key Metrics

32% to 24% fall in the percentage of older people reporting often feeling lonely
29% rise in people volunteering once a week after joining GoodGym
41.3% of runners saw a meaningful rise in mental wellbeing score (over three points)

Key Outcomes

  • Statistically significant improvement in mental wellbeing for people involved for 4-8 months, from 49.1 to 51.2 on the Warwick-Edinburgh scale
  • Older people visited showed a statistically significant improvement on each of the four social isolation index questions
  • Participants reported running further and for longer periods because of their involvement

Geography

UK-Wide

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