An event to support the national ‘This Girl Can’ campaign, a local way to celebrate International Women’s Day, was held in Liverpool last weekend.
The campaign, organised by Liverpool Council, aimed to celebrate active females and encourage the girls of Liverpool to try something new.
A survey carried out by Active People showed that in Liverpool just 15 per cent of women take part in sport and active recreation for 30 minutes, three times a week. This is compared to 29 per cent of men.
All ten Lifestyles Centres in the city gave out free access to Liverpool’s women last Sunday. This included everything from using the gym, swimming pool, hiring courts or pitches or taking part in an exercise class.
As well as this, taster sessions were held in the Liverpool One, to try and get more girls involved in local sports teams. Hundreds of girls showed up with friends, family and sports teams including girls from Liverpool Students’ Union, to take part in the events.
Other organisations who offered free activities included the Mersey Bowman Tennis Club, Friends of Everton Park, West Everton Community Council and Shrewsy Youth and Community Club.
This Girl Can is a national campaign developed by Sports England, whose chief executive Jennie Price said: “The thing that has struck me most about the reaction to This Girl Can is the sheer number of women and girls who have embraced it.
Women across England, and around the world, are telling us how much they welcome the campaign and how it has inspired them to exercise or try a new sport. International Women’s Day is a great opportunity for all of us – regardless of shape, fitness or ability – to celebrate being active.”