Chief executive Tim Hollingsworth signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Yorkshire's mayor, Oliver Coppard, and the chief executive of the region's ICB, Gavin Boyle, signalling a collaborative new approach to sport, physical activity, prevention and wellbeing across the local authority areas of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Hollingsworth said: ‘This partnership is a powerful demonstration of what can happen when we join forces at a regional level and look at challenges through the lens of whole-system change.

‘Our shared commitment to unlocking the role of movement, sport and physical activity will improve lives and strengthen communities across South Yorkshire.'

The agreement was accompanied by the launch of the UK's first Sports Legacy Institute, a £5 million private-public partnership between the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Westfield Health.

It will support the ambitions of the MoU by creating a centre of excellence for sports and health innovation within the Olympic Legacy Park, aimed at attracting inward investment to improve health outcomes in South Yorkshire.