Cricket Icon, Lord ‘Beefy’ Botham, Inspires Brits to Embrace a Healthier Lifestyle with “Move More” Campaign

Ian Botham Says Move More To Save The NHS

“Look, if you don’t stay active, you get old very quickly. Whether you’re getting up a mountain or getting out of bed… the important thing is to keep going.” – Sir Ian Botham

Having undergone a complete knee replacement surgery in late 2022, Ian Botham dedicated the past year to his personal journey of recovery, rediscovering the profound value of physical and mental well-being through exercise. Inspired by this rediscovery, the sporting icon is now embarking on another mission to get the nation moving. Many of us know Ian Botham as the front-man of England’s greatest ever comeback, “the miracle of headingley” (1981), so he might just be the leader we need in this push to get our people to Move More.

Whilst Beefy’s Charity Foundation continues to fundraise for the treatment of chronic and serious illnesses, Ian’s ‘Move More’ message is one of prevention before treatment. Not all trips to hospital are easily avoided, but this initiative is one of self-awareness, asking individuals to consider if they could be doing more to keep themselves healthy, then encouraging them to do exactly that. 

“When you were younger, you didn’t have to think about exercise because you were exercising every day – out on the sports field and the playground. Nobody thought, ‘Oh, I’ve got to do some exercise,’ you just did it. As you get older, it gets a bit trickier to look after yourself, so you must be more disciplined.” – Sir Ian Botham

Dr Rob Galloway, A&E Doctor and honorary clinical professor, recently published an article stating that “doing regular exercise is the single most important thing that anyone can do for their health and thus reduce demand on health care systems.” The same article details concerns about the UK healthcare system, which revolve around its current focus on treating acute illnesses at the expense of prevention, leading to unsustainable demand and potential harm to patients.

In presenting movement as a solution to our healthcare crisis, Dr Galloway refers to exercise as “the wonder drug that every GP should be prescribing”, being that it’s zero cost, zero side-effects, and has a list of benefits longer than any pharmaceutical ever created. Considering the stress our NHS is currently under, Ian Botham’s “Move More” initiative is an empowering reminder to help our healthcare by helping yourself. 

Thinking of joining the movement? The NHS has created a useful tool to guide people who are looking to incorporate more movement into their routine: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/

Inline with his ambassadorship for leading wellbeing brands, EthicaCBD and Revitive, Sir Ian Botham has been sharing his physical recovery processes, hoping to inspire his followers to keep striving for better living no matter what it takes. For those of us with added challenges, Ian’s advice for staying active against the odds is rather succinct: “Get out there and have a crack. It’s the only way to keep yourself mentally and physically strong.”