Connecting Group Exercise and Health Campaign

The Challenge

EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, identified a growing interest among its members in understanding how to connect with health and care organisations—particularly in light of developments such as social prescribing and the evolving role of physical activity in health.

In response, EMD UK approached Move Consulting to develop a targeted learning offer that would boost instructor confidence, increase sector understanding, and provide practical tools for creating meaningful links between group exercise and the health system.

Our Approach

Move Consulting worked closely with EMD UK to shape a blended learning campaign that met the evolving needs of instructors. The aim was to develop a solution that went beyond knowledge-sharing and inspired real-world action.

We began by refining learning outcomes based on EMD UK's insight, then designed a programme that included expert-led webinars, curated resources, and real-life examples of best practice. The goal: equip instructors with the awareness, language, and tools needed to understand health systems and confidently explore partnerships that support population health.

“There’s never been a greater need for community providers to connect with health. We wanted to help instructors understand what matters in health, how they can play a role, and where to start.”

Elaine McNish, Director, Move Consulting

What was delivered

As part of this project, Move Consulting provided:

• A curated webinar series – Connecting Health and Group Exercise
  A four-part live series, hosted by Move Consulting, featuring expert speakers from across physical activity and health sectors
   
• Stakeholder profiles
  Bite-sized resources showcasing key organisations and how instructors can engage with them
   
• Programme case studies
  Practical, inspiring examples of good practice delivered at the end of each webinar
   
• Curated learning materials
  A set of tools and planning resources from trusted organisations to support learning, reflection, and real-world application

Project impact

The series was a great success, drawing over 760 instructor sign-ups and continuing to generate engagement through on-demand views—reaching nearly 600 on the EMD UK YouTube channel.

More importantly, the campaign helped build confidence and understanding among instructors, highlighted their role in supporting public health, and strengthened EMD UK's reputation as a thought leader in connecting group exercise with the wider health agenda.