History of the Network
The need for a Regional Physical Activity Network in the West Midlands was identified during the
consultation process for the Regional Plan for Sport in late 2003, early 2004 and a mapping exercise of
physical activity interventions in the West Midlands. Physical activity and sports programme deliverers
and practitioners in the region identified a number of barriers to developing the Physical Activity
Agenda and felt that a Regional Network would enable the sharing of information across organisation
boundaries; enabling the sharing of good practice, providing increased networking opportunities in the
West Midlands to support the emerging physical activity agendas, and encouraging the development of local
networks and partnerships.
As a result of this the development of a Physical Activity Network for the West Midlands was written into
the “Improving the Health and Well-being of People Through Sport” objectives detailed in the Regional
Plan for Sport 2004 – 2008.
A voluntary Steering Group was established in March 2005 to drive forward the development of the Physical
Activity Network for the West Midlands (PAN-WM).
The “Choosing Health, Choosing Activity, Choosing a Network” conference was held on the 7th of December
2005 to officially launch the network in the region, and focused on national, regional and local
approaches to commitments in the Choosing Health Physical Activity Delivery Plan. The Network became a
constituted body in July 2006 at its first Annual General Meeting.