Doorstep sport to create 30,000 active women

 Active Women has been unveiled by Sport England which is investing £2.295 million of National Lottery funding into the initiative.

Active Women, which will be delivered in 47 of the most disadvantaged areas in England including Hastings, Wigan and Bristol, will offer 16- to 25-year-old women innovative and engaging ways to participate in sport. It will also see over 200 events and festivals organised, 1700 new coaches and volunteers recruited and 1260 qualifications gained by those taking part.

Nationally there are 62 organisations delivering the project, which is being led by multi-award winning sports development charity StreetGames.

The West London projects will target estates within the boroughs of Hounslow, Ealing, Brent and Hammersmith and Fulham and provide a range of sports activities/festivals and training opportunities for female residents, aged 16-25.

Simon Lister, Director of PRO-Active West London said:

“We’re delighted to be part of this exciting national initiative, working with some of our key partners to increase women’s participation in sport and physical activity in some of the hard to reach areas within West London.”

Active Women is one of 20 being funded by Sport England to boost women’s participation in sport, especially those who care for children or who live in disadvantaged communities because they face some of the biggest barriers to participation. Just one in 10 women living in disadvantaged areas regularly play sport.

Jane Ashworth, Chief Executive of StreetGames, said:

“This groundbreaking project is one of the biggest mobilisations of women in sport ever. It will see the expertise and experience of a vast range of organisations pooled together to establish new interventions, new training packages and new ways of thinking that will grow and sustain participation in sport by young women from areas of significant disadvantage. The project will play a significant role in ensuring a legacy for women's sport well beyond the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The targeted investment will support more women from disadvantaged communities - and women caring for children – to play sport as part of the drive to deliver a mass participation legacy from London 2012.

Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, said:

“We have many fantastic female athletes in this country, but not enough women participating at sport’s grassroots. More needs to be done to encourage women to participate in sport, particularly those from disadvantaged communities. The £10 million being invested by Sport England will give women the chance to try out new sports as part of a dedicated programme and hopefully keep them in sport in the future.”

Jennie Price, Sport England’s Chief Executive, said:

“For many women with children or those managing a tight budget, sport – and time to themselves - can slip down the list of priorities. The projects we’re funding have asked local women what is preventing them from getting involved and what sports interest them, before coming up with an offer that is appealing and accessible.”