The “social” element of social prescribing is also key. Hermione Ireland, 51, is MD of a wine publishing company, who has just started taking group boxing classes. “Yes, I love the exertion and the sense of achievement,” she says. “But as much as that, it’s the sense of community, of being in a group. I really missed this during lockdown. In the class itself, we are too out of breath to chat, though we do occasionally laugh in an exhausted kind of a way. But there is a real sense of community – a group achievement, if you like. 

“The first time I went, I was one of the older people in the class and newer to the sport – but I never felt judged or looked down on.”

To Frances Drury, head of activation at Sport England, this element is key. “We found that a lot of women had had really powerfully intense experiences of group exercise classes, often feeling that they’ve been judged or embarrassed by an instructor focusing in on them,” she says. “With the instructor training, we’ve focused on those soft skills to create a warm and welcoming environment where it feels free of judgment.” Many women had experienced sexual harassment in gyms or while exercising outdoors, she added, making the provision of female-only classes important.

EMD (Exercise, Move and Dance), the national governing body for group exercise, is working with Sport England on the campaign and has an online searchable database where instructors can list their sessions. They are working to develop this into a tool for social prescribing so that GPs can browse what is available in their area and suggest it to patients.

Those who look after our mental health are pleased with the development. Dr John Read, professor of clinical psychology at the University of East London, is an advocate for social prescribing. 

“This initiative is to be welcomed as part of the general trend towards social prescribing for depression and away from the current overprescribing of antidepressants,” he says. “The epidemic of overprescribing of psychiatric drugs in general and antidepressants in particular is spiralling out of control, increasing about five per cent a year for the past 10 years. Given the serious side effects of antidepressants, including emotional numbing, sexual dysfunction and withdrawal effects when coming off them, alternatives such as yoga and dance are certainly worth offering to patients to consider.” 

And to quote fitness coach, Lisa Monger: “Before a boxing session, you arrive with the weight of the world on your shoulders. After it, you leave strong enough to carry it.”