The Commission was established after our latest Class of 2035 report warned that, unless urgent action to increase children’s physical activity levels is taken, this generation will face poorer health, lower happiness and reduced life chances over the next decade and beyond.
Bringing together leaders from healthcare, child development and public health who share our concern about the effects of sedentary lifestyles and screens on the first generation to grow up where digital dominance is the norm, over a series of meetings, the Commissioners will review evidence and share insights before publishing recommendations in the Spring.
The Commission aims to sound the alarm about the need for change and put forward ideas for policymakers to consider, drawing on their expertise to identify the areas with the greatest potential and levers to drive change.
We are grateful to the Commissioners for their support with the exciting project.
Class of 2035 Commissioners
Dr Paula Franklin
Paula trained in medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and practised in the UK and Barbados before studying public health at Johns Hopkins University. She began her career advocating for young people’s healthcare with the Children’s Defence Fund in the US, then moved into healthcare management. Paula has held senior roles at Bupa, including Chief Medical Officer of the Bupa Group, and worked with Marie Stopes International, gaining wide experience of global health systems. She also holds an MBA from London Business School and a Master's in Bioethics and Medical Law, with a career focused on delivering accessible, high-quality healthcare.
Dr William Bird MBE
William pioneered social prescribing in the 1990s as a family GP, establishing the first Health Walk and Green Gym schemes to show how companionship and contact with nature keep people active. He is now a global authority on health and activity, advising the World Health Organisation, Sport England, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. In 2010 he founded Intelligent Health, whose flagship programme Beat the Street has engaged almost two million participants worldwide. Awarded an MBE in 2010 and Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter, he chairs Active Essex.
Dr Imogen Grant
Imogen became an Olympic champion in the lightweight women’s double sculls at Paris 2024 and began her first year working as a doctor in the NHS just two days after the closing ceremony. She is an ambassador for the Rivers Trust and is committed to promoting sustainability and physical health. Imogen balances her medical career with elite sport, advocating the importance of healthy, active lifestyles and environmental stewardship. Her achievements in rowing and medicine reflect her dedication, resilience, and passion for inspiring others to embrace both personal wellbeing and care for the natural world.
Dr Kathryn Hesketh
Kathryn is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, behavioural epidemiologist, and health psychologist at University College London. She specialises in movement behaviours during the transition to parenthood and the first five years of life, aiming to help families and young children develop playful, active lifestyles that promote long-term health and wellbeing. Kathryn has served on the Chief Medical Officer’s Under 5s Physical Activity Guideline committee (2019) and the Surveillance committee, and co-chairs the Active Pregnancy Foundation scientific advisory group, supporting evidence-based approaches to early-life and maternal physical activity.
Rachael Mackenzie
Rachael is a chartered neuro-physiotherapist and holds a Master of Psychology. She has a deep understanding of how movement supports child development across physical, cognitive, and social domains, and the critical role physical activity plays in optimising health and wellbeing. Rachael combines her expertise in neuroscience, psychology, and physiotherapy to guide interventions that enhance motor skills, learning, and overall development in children. Through her work, she advocates for evidence-based approaches to physical activity that empower children, families, and educators to create environments where movement is integrated into daily life, supporting lifelong health and flourishing.
Dr Radha Modgil
Radha is an NHS GP, broadcaster, author, and wellbeing advocate with over 14 years of experience. She is the medical expert for BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks, has co-presented the podcast version, and presented CBeebies’ Feeling Better, helping children explore emotions. A regular columnist for The i Newspaper, she has written for The Guardian, MSN Lifestyle, and HuffPost. Radha champions mental and physical wellbeing through campaigns with BBC Children in Need, Public Health England, MIND, and the British Red Cross. She is an ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust and the National Academy for Social Prescribing, supporting people to make positive life changes.
Dr Oliver Mytton
Oliver is a public health doctor and academic, serving as Director of the NIHR Policy Research Unit for Healthy Weight at University College London’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. His work focuses on generating evidence to guide policies that prevent childhood obesity. Oliver has previously worked with Dame Sally Davies, the former Chief Medical Officer for England, editing her report Time to Solve Childhood Obesity, and served as an advisor to the Health Select Committee during its 2018–19 inquiry into childhood obesity. He is committed to translating research into practical interventions for healthier children and communities.
Dr Caz Nahman
Caz is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with 25 years’ experience in the NHS, currently focusing on teaching and private practice. Physically active throughout her life, she has worked extensively in eating disorders and now collaborates with UK Sport. Caz chairs SEPSIG, the Sport and Exercise Psychiatry Special Interest Group, and researches the impact of physical inactivity and social media on youth mental health. She is passionate about developing evidence-based guidance for young people, parents, and school staff to make physical activity more accessible and appealing, addressing inequality, barriers, and the benefits for wellbeing.
William Roberts
William is Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Public Health. A registered nurse, he has held senior NHS roles in public health, commissioning, strategy, transformation, and planning, and worked as a nurse specialist in tuberculosis and HIV. William has extensive experience across the healthcare, charity, social care, housing, local government, and education sectors. He serves as Chair of the Swimming and Health Commission, is a member of Movember’s Global Men’s Health Advisory Committee, and is a Non-Executive Director of Housing 21. He was previously Deputy Chair of Terrence Higgins Trust and Non-Executive Director of POBL.
Dr Tom Rance
Tom is a paediatrician and researcher specialising in children’s physical activity, play, and wellbeing. He combines frontline clinical work with research at the University of Cambridge’s MRC Epidemiology Unit, exploring how play and activity influence child development and health outcomes. Tom represents the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on the Class of 2035 Commission and is a member of the Children and Young People’s Health Policy Influencing Group. He also contributes to policy development for Starlight Children’s Foundation, working with government and NHS England to embed play and physical activity into child health strategies.
Matthew Shaw
Matthew joined Great Ormond Street Hospital as Medical Director in March 2018 and became Chief Executive in December 2018. A consultant spinal surgeon with 23 years’ NHS experience, he was previously Deputy Chief Executive and Transformation Director at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Medical Director at Bupa Health Services. Matthew champions universal access to high-quality care and embraces innovation, technology, and partnerships to advance healthcare, research, and clinical practice. In 2023–24, he took on additional executive responsibilities at Whittington Health NHS Trust and Great Ormond Street Hospital, supporting operational delivery and leadership across both organisations.
Dr Supreet Sidhu
Supreet is a practising General Practitioner based in London and a dedicated medical educator with a Master’s in Medical Education. She lectures at University College London, supporting the development of future healthcare professionals. Supreet is a passionate advocate for preventative and lifestyle medicine, promoting patient-centred, holistic care that empowers individuals to improve their health and wellbeing. She combines clinical practice with education to embed evidence-based approaches to healthy living and prevention, helping shape the next generation of doctors while encouraging communities and patients to adopt sustainable, positive lifestyle choices that enhance long-term health outcomes.