The new partnership’s Memorandum of Understanding was signed at Impact Fitness Academy in Tyseley by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, and Chris Boardman, 1992 Olympic cycling champion and Sport England chair, accompanied by Haniyah Kousar, the UK’s first female Muslim wrestling coach who is based at the venue.

The initiative will be backed by an initial £5.5 million ($7 million/€6.5 million) of joint funding from the WMCA’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund and National Lottery funding administered by Sport England.

The two organisations will identify and work with groups in the West Midlands who are least active in support of the shared goal of reducing the health inequalities that exist across the region by encouraging people to walk, cycle, exercise or play spor

The WMCA’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund has been established because of the effective organisation and delivery of the Games last summer which meant the event came in under budget.

Following discussions with the Mayor and the WMCA, the UK Government agreed to invest the £70 million ($90 million/€81 million) underspend back into the region to enhance the legacy of the Games and ensure the benefits continue their positive impact for years to come.

The West Midlands has some of the highest levels of physical inactivity in England – with one third of children and over half of adults doing less than the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

The partnership will continue the Commonwealth Active Communities project which works with grassroots groups in Birmingham, Black Country, Coventry, and Solihull.

Grant funding will be provided for community-led projects to increase participation in sports and physical activity.

Pilot schemes will be funded to integrate physical activity and sport into mental health care pathways for children and young people.

The Gen 22 trailblazer legacy project will be extended to get more disabled and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more) young people involved in sport volunteering.

Voluntary sport organisations will be supported with business and financial planning, governance, staff development and inclusion and accessibility

"We know from work undertaken by the West Midlands Combined Authority - including the Health of the Region report and Mental Health Commission - that there are unfortunately barriers that too many local people face when it comes to taking part in sport and physical activity," said Street.

"I’m determined to address these health inequalities and this partnership with Sport England will help us in that vital effort.

"Our Legacy Enhancement Fund - combined with additional investment from Sport England - will ensure we maximise the post Games momentum to deliver tangible benefit for local people right across our region including those from some of our most deprived communities."

Boardman added, "Being active can change lives both physically and mentally and it’s important that we continue to support people in the grassroots to be active and make a difference for themselves and their communities."

Impact Fitness Academy, which runs combat sports such as freestyle wrestling and boxing, has received equipment from the Commonwealth Games Equipment Giveaway and a £10,000 (£12,875/€11,700) B2022 Places and Spaces grant.

Kousar has become Britain’s first female Muslim wresting coach after initially attending martial arts sessions at the Academy with her elder brothers.

"As a Muslim woman I have noticed the barriers that we face in terms of both religion and culture," she said.

"Even just with wrestling there are lots of things holding us back, such as clothing not catering to Muslims, with restrictions on covering, and the majority of classes being mixed, even for adults.

"So at Impact we’ve worked hard to create a space to allow women and girls to get into wrestling, even if just to keep fit and have fun.

"A space for females only to feel comfortable."