My mum is one of those whose health has been hit by reduced activity

The alarming revelation that one million more people have become inactive because of the pandemic hits really close to home. Prior to Covid, my mum was fit and active. She was a regular gym-goer but her activity level suddenly dropped off after the first lockdown. Sadly, she now lacks confidence to set foot in the gym and as a result her health has deteriorated – a scenario that I imagine tallies with so many other women who, like her, are from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background.

It also chimes with how women in general have struggled to rediscover their pre-pandemic levels of activity. It is something I have seen first-hand through my coaching work at High Wycombe RFC, where I assist the women’s team. When society returned to some form of normality after the first lockdown last year, female players trickled back to training. What was most striking was their lack of confidence. Many were worried about the contact element of the game and the fear of getting injured because they had been away for so long. For others, it was apparent the pandemic had affected their ability to socialise, which is understandable given many people switched to remote screens and natural human contact was lost.

Anecdotally, I know there has been a broader reluctance among female rugby players to return to training at their clubs. It unfortunately tallies with one of the other key findings from Sport England’s Active Lives survey – that women who have experienced a decline in activity levels take longer and require more support to return to sport and fitness. Pre-pandemic, there were hundreds of women in my gym doing Zumba classes – but how many would have carried on with them, be it virtual, during Covid? The answer to that makes me sad. I do not want to stereotype, but women are often the main carers in a family and assume childcare or homeschooling duties.

I have noticed that some women tend to need encouragement to believe in themselves, and I believe that is because society has imposed

gender roles on us from an early age. Boys are usually encouraged to explore and take risks, where girls are generally taught to be more risk-averse and act a certain way.

We know men in general have greater self-esteem than women – and that confidence gap is often more pronounced in sport. I liken it to being on maternity leave – when you are away from work for a whole year and that time comes to return, you suddenly start doubting your skillset and worry if you will ever be the same as before.

With Covid cases on the rise and talk of another lockdown, we need to act fast if we want to address activity levels, and particularly among the socio-economic groups that have been disproportionately affected. A significant proportion of front-line workers during the pandemic were from a black or ethnic minority background, so physical activity has been less of their main focus. A lot probably do not have private health insurance, either, and all these factors have exacerbated the existing inequality.

A lot of it comes down to role models and ensuring increased visibility of those from the BAME community exercising – be it via TV adverts or other media. Another solution could be to create more entry points into sport. The reason why rugby has been guilty of not attracting diverse playing pools can partly be attributed to where clubs are sometimes located, often they are out in the sticks and not served by good transport links. That means it is not a realistic option for those who live in built-up areas.

For women, too, location and exercise are intrinsically linked. There has been a lot more anxiety around exercising outside since the murder of Sarah Everard. Women want to train in places that are well lit and not isolated. I took up running when the pandemic hit, but I never used to venture out on the streets alone in the dark.

Change is not going to happen overnight, but this feels like a crucial moment for collective action in order to start helping those like my mum who have dropped off the activity ladder and who are now experiencing ill health as a result.