Broadcaster, doctor and campaigner, Dr Radha Modgil is donning her trainers and championing the role of sport and physical activity for young people’s wellbeing by joining the Youth Sport Trust (YST) as an Ambassador.

Dr Radha is a practising NHS GP who is also the medical expert for BBC Radio 1’s daytime show, Life Hacks and the co-presenter of their weekly Life Hacks Podcast. She was the presenter of the CBeebies show Feeling Better, highlighting the importance of talking about emotions for young children and contributes to online projects including BBC Bitesize, BBC Teach, BBC Own It, BBC Advice Pages and BBC Learning.

Following the YST’s National School Sport Week at Home campaign and bid to help as many young people as possible to access sport and play amid the Coronavirus pandemic, Dr Radha said the charity’s work has been invaluable and a cause she is looking forwards to giving her backing to.

Dr Radha said:

Sport transforms lives and I am passionate about helping sport become a tool for children and young people to use for their mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as physical health. Sport connects us, it builds confidence, teamwork, skills, self-esteem and a sense of goal setting, achievement and motivation.

All of these make us emotionally & mentally healthy. I want every child and young person to experience the benefits that sport brings and to recognise and be empowered to use it throughout their lives, to help them in easy times but also in challenging times, and to know sport is always there for them, to help them feel better.

That is why I am so proud to be an Ambassador for the incredible work that the Youth Sport Trust does for children and young people, and why I am getting my trainers on, so I can pass their message on & support their invaluable work.

The news comes as the charity is working with 30 leading schools and academies across the country to form a network of best practice health and wellbeing schools which, together will pioneer a new Well Schools movement, launching in September as schools return.

Dr Radha will join Paralympian Hannah Cockroft MBE, endurance athlete Ben Smith, Pussycat Dolls artist Kimberly Wyatt, grassroots coach and podcaster Lipa Nessa, podcaster and journalist Fadumo Olow, and TV presenter Radzi Chinyanganya in supporting the Youth Sport Trust as an Ambassador to champion its mission of pioneering new ways to use sport to improve children’s wellbeing and give them a brighter future.

Ali Oliver, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said:

Sadly, children’s physical, social and emotional wellbeing is in decline and for many this has been compounded by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. We know play and sport have so much to offer in tackling contemporary issues such as depression, loneliness and rising obesity.

It also equips young people with an understanding of the importance of health and wellbeing and the skills to take personal responsibility for this. The Youth Sport Trust exists to build brighter futures for young people through play and sport.

We know there is much to do in terms of the accessibility, relevance and intent of Physical Education and sport, and in Dr Radha we have found an inspiring champion for our mission. We are absolutely delighted to have her support, and know she will bring expertise, and help us raise awareness of the importance of Physical Education, daily physical activity and sport in the life and development of every child.

For more information about the charity’s Well Schools initiative launching in September visit www.youthsporttrust.org/wellschool.