On the 20^th June, following the successful distribution of over £170,000 to local organisations and community groups across Suffolk through Sport England's Together Fund, Active Suffolk hosted over 60 delegates at Ipswich Town Football Club, to share in the learnings of the projects funded and to reflect on the positive impact created through them.

The day began with all delegates signing in for the event and then taking the chance to visit the marketplace. This gave them the chance to understand more about a large variety of the projects within different organisations that Active Suffolk were delighted to be able to facilitate funding for. Organisations present at the marketplace included Suffolk Mind with their funded project, 'Sammy the Sea Squirt', YMCA Trinity with their funded project providing sports sessions to young and unaccompanied refugees and asylum seekers, Karibu with their funded project on supporting clients to return safely back into exercise after the pandemic and many more!

Following the opening of the conference, delegates were introduced to their keynote speaker for the day, Gareth Davies. Gareth is the Director of Active Suffolk and has long advocated for everyone across Suffolk to be able to have equitable access to physical activity opportunities and the many benefits that these can bring.

Speakers throughout the day included;

• Ellie Winch and Katie Hollis from Suffolk Mind speaking about 'Sammy the Sea Squirt' and how the movement sessions for children had introduced them to the importance of keeping moving to stay mentally and physically healthy.
• Andy Read from Suffolk Sporting Memories speaking about how the facilitation of funding from Active Suffolk had meant that himself and other colleagues at Sporting Memories had afforded people at risk of living with loneliness the chance to attend a friendly group that not only allowed them to indulge in their favourite sporting memories, but to also engage in some light re-introductions to physical activity and boost their social wellbeing by connecting with others.
• Danielle Parodi, colleagues and young people from YMCA Trinity Group speaking about the positive difference that their sporting sessions for unaccompanied young persons who came to the UK to seek refuge had made for their physical, mental and emotional health.
• Matt Brinkley from Making Fitness Accessible speaking about how through his work at Making Fitness Accessible and using other such pieces of apparatus such as The Lifeglider (a hands-free, upright walking aid designed to minimise the risk of falls), himself and colleagues had facilitated many life-changing moments for clients to become more mobile and take the incredible steps to begin walking again after not previously being able to.

The day was brought to a close by Gareth Davies who remarked on the incredible successes of the Together Fund and how each and every organisation present embodied the belief that everyone has an equal right to getting involved in accessible and enjoyable physical activity.