July 29 – Manchester City Women’s Football Club (MCWFC) have partnered with Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) to launch a scheme aimed at getting more women and girls involved in sport.
WSFF’s Changing the Game, for Girls: In Action programme will provide a base of “insight and knowledge of women and girls’ relationship with sport” for City in the Community coaches.
WSFF research shows that 1.9 million fewer women than men currently participate in sport and physical activity and that the gender gap in participation begins as young as 8 years old.
Last week the UK government called for more to be done by schools and sports to engage women in sport following a report outlining long-term health and social care implications of low participation rates in sport by women and girls.
The launch coincides with a report on Women and Sport, published last Friday by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, in which the body expressed concern about the long-term health and social care implications of low participation rates in sport by women and girls.
The Manchester initiative aims to involve more women and girls in sport and give them “access the benefits of playing and engaging with sport”.
The first practical application of the partnership will b community sessions hosted at after-school clubs in and around Manchester.
Steph Houghton, City captain and newly appointed WSFF ambassador, said: “We really need to focus our efforts on ensuring young girls receive all the help they can get to boost their confidence and interest in getting involved in sport. With the Commonwealth Games in full swing, there’s no better time to capture the imagination of aspiring young girls.”
“I really believe that this unique partnership between the Club and the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation will help to do that.”
As part of the partnership MCWFC will provide WSFF with one fixture per season to assist the organisation in generating additional funds to support its aims. The club’s first non-commercial shirt deal was concluded back in April which sees the WSFF logo featured on training wear, including the pre-match shirt and walk out jacket.
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