Community leaders and local organisations gathered at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) earlier this month for a dedicated Active Birmingham Drop-In session. The event drew strong interest from prospective partners eager to learn more about Sport England’s Place Deepening Programme and meet the team driving the initiative forward. We received some really valuable feedback and appreciate everyone who took the time to share their thoughts.
The Place Deepening Programme positions physical activity as a powerful catalyst for wellbeing, social cohesion, and community development. Moving away from traditional models, investment now directly targets community-led, place-based approaches, removing barriers to participation by empowering locally rooted organisations, supporting local leadership, and fostering systemic change.
To turn this vision into reality, Sport Birmingham is actively recruiting Local System Partners across the city. These trusted local organisations act as vital connectors, bringing together residents and system partners to maximise local impact and unlock wider benefits for Birmingham’s neighbourhoods.
Meet the Active Birmingham Team!
The Active Birmingham team is here to support partners and guide the initiative at every stage:
Ashleigh Ahlquist – Head of Place
Ashleigh provides overall strategic leadership for the Birmingham Place Partnership. Ashleigh brings communities and stakeholders together to tackle inequalities, strengthen local systems, embed lived experience into decision-making, and ensure robust governance.
Ciara Kelly – Place Evaluation & Learning Manager
Ciara leads the partnership’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework. Ciara gathers and analyses data to guide strategy, evaluate outcomes, build partner capacity, and clearly demonstrate the impact of local initiatives.
Fauzia Begum – Community Connector
Fauzia bridges the gap between neighbourhood lived experiences and system-level decision-making. She builds trusted relationships across Birmingham, facilitates cross-sector collaboration, and supports initiatives rooted in the community that encourage active, healthier lives.
Saima Younas – Project Coordinator
Saima supports project delivery, governance, and partner communications. Her focus includes coordinating documentation, assisting with evaluation, and creating engaging content that highlights community progress and the impact of the programme.
Callam Dunne – Community Connector
Callam will be working to consolidate and expand our existing network of community contacts and relationships in the context of the Active Birmingham Place Investment. This will ensure continuity with the learning and consultative work undertaken to date.
Get Involved
Are you a local organisation interested in shaping a healthier, more active Birmingham?
To learn more about the Place Deepening Programme, explore partnership opportunities, or submit an application to become a Local System Partner, visit the Active Birmingham Programme Page
Applications close Monday 19th October at 5pm.