#10 Matt Donnelly. How to build an active village

How do you make movement a natural part of community life? Today, I chat with Matt Donnelly, a fitness coach and movement advocate leading the Active Villages project in Ribble Valley. Matt has taken a fresh approach to rural activity: instead of relying on gyms, he’s built Play Libraries, started community rounders games, and partnered with Park Play to create sustainable movement opportunities. 🔥 In this episode, we cover:✅ Why rural areas face unique movement challenges—and how to solve them✅ The power of Play Libraries and making equipment freely available✅ How to build movement-friendly spaces that work across generations✅ What Matt learned from CrossFit, natural movement, and community sport 📲 Follow Matt: Instagram: @bowlandfitness Instagram: @thoughtsfromatree Website: www.bowlandfitness.com Tackling Rural Isolation through Building Relationships - TaAF - Together an Active Future Let's Play: The story of the Active Hodder Play Area in Dunsop Bridge  - TaAF - Together an Active Future