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GOGA founding funder Spirit of 2012 closes its doors

We pass on a huge thanks to Spirit, without whom the life-changing programme would not have been possible.

A collection of images of people doing sport and activity with the words 'a very big thank you from all of us'.

Created as a spend-out trust, Spirit of 2012 was never meant to last forever. Its purpose was always to invest, to spark change, and then to step back once that change could stand on its own. 

We are extremely lucky to have been part of their journey. Together, we have created one of its most enduring legacies, Get Out Get Active (GOGA). We are incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to change lives across the country, and a huge part of that was our founding funder.  

Spirit of 2012 backed a simple but powerful idea, that being active should be possible for everyone, regardless of background, ability, or circumstance. The premise was a programme that brought disabled and non-disabled people together through shared activity. 

Since 2016, across the country, GOGA has created welcoming spaces where people moved more, met others, and felt they belonged. The impact wasn’t just measured in sessions delivered or participants reached, but in confidence gained, friendships formed, and attitudes quietly shifted. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vhEPYcsiLE

We have Alex Johnston, former Policy & Influencing Manager at Spirit of 2012, to thank for the name. It came to him as a working title. He was a central part of the team that built GOGA to what it has become.  

He shared just how important the programme was to him on GOGA's Active Together podcast in 2024.  

"It’s beyond my expectations that we could’ve got to this point, seven or eight years later, seven and a half million pounds later we’ve got this programme called GOGA which is actually more than a programme,” he said. 
"You can see programmes evolve and develop over time, and some have a natural shelf life where they just end. What I have loved about this beautiful journey with GOGA is that in the first phase we were like ‘we want to reach the least active. In the second phase we understood better, who are the least active, they are very different from each other, they are not all the same. To now talking about GOGA as an approach for delivering sport and physical activity." 

Looking back it is hard to believe the incredible impact GOGA would have after the initial investment in 2016. 

From swimming clubs in the south of England to walking groups in Northern Ireland, over 59,000 participants have taken part in over 3,500 activities and interventions since 2016, and more than 4,500 volunteers have given their support. On average almost half of people are physically inactive when joining GOGA. It has supported four in five people to do more physical activity and nine in ten state improvements in their mental wellbeing after taking part in GOGA activities. 

For every £1 invested, GOGA has delivered £4.60 in social, environmental, and economic value. It was also delivering around £3.70 of wellbeing benefits for every £1 spent.

Helen Derby, Strategic Lead of Programmes at Activity Alliance, praised the passion Spirit of 2012 brought to the project:  

"It is true to say that GOGA is life changing. It has introduced activity into the lives of many people across the UK. None of this would have been possible without Spirit of 2012. 
“Beyond their funding, they have been huge advocates and a constant pillar of support. It has been a genuine pleasure knowing their team. Their friendly, collaborative approach has made them so much more than a funder. As they move toward closing, we want to thank them for being the driving force behind this work. While it is impossible to truly capture the full impact of their support in a single quote, the lasting change communities is a testament to why they are so special." 

As Spirit of 2012 closes its doors everyone at Activity Alliance, all those who have been touched by Get Out Get Active, would like to extend a huge thank you to Spirit of 2012. Not just for financial backing, but for being a champion of everything it stands for. 

Get Out Get Active has a wealth of resources to support organisations and partners to engage inactive disabled and non-disabled people successfully. You can find our latest learning and resources on the GOGA website.  

Spirit of 2012 are leaving behind a free and easy-to-use collection of over 200 resources. You can access them all on their Knowledge Bank.