Rebrand sees CSP become Active Partnerships

The County Sports Partnerships (CSP) network has rebranded as Active Partnerships – a name that it says better reflects the collaborative nature of its work.

Launched nearly 20 years ago, and funded by Sport England, the 43 CSPs cover every part of England and are tasked with identifying the best opportunities for increasing sport and physical activity in their communities.

The organisation says it has delivered a number of high-impact programmes, built strong local networks and has adopted the "highest levels" of governance. However, it said the needs of its partners and communities are changing, with levels of physical activity worryingly low and affected by a complex system of influences, meaning that no single organisation can create what it called "sustainable change at scale".

Lee Mason, chief executive of the new Active Partnerships, said this meant that it needed to think and act differently.

"Over the last year we have been changing to strengthen our approach to better tackle these issues," he explained. "This has included confirming our long-term future partnership with Sport England to help deliver the national strategy, Towards an Active Nation, and a shift from programme delivery to a whole system, place-based approach."

Of the new name, Mason explained: "The term Active highlights the broad spectrum of sports and physical activities we embrace, the dynamic and agile way that we approach our work and our mission to increase levels of engagement in sport and physical activity.

"Partnership reinforces the collaborative nature of our work and our core purpose to create the conditions for an active nation by engaging communities, building understanding and insight, brokering cross-sector partnerships and influencing policy and practice."

Active Partnerships added that its focus is on learning what works locally and driving collaboration and impact across the network.