New funding to get women and girls active

Women and girls across Aylesbury Vale are set to benefit from nearly £135,000 awarded by Sport England in a bid to get them active.
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The Active Vale programme is one of more than 40 projects to secure funding from Sport England’s Community Sport Activation fund.

The fund empowers local communities to reach out to people who for one reason or another don’t exercise.

Active Vale aims to encourage women and girls between the ages of 14 and 40 to increase their sport and physical levels within a fun and friendly environment.

There will be opportunities to get involved in a range of activities including swimming, running, Nordic walking, tennis, gym classes and team sports including netball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball.

The scheme is part of a drive across Bucks to deliver a participation legacy for sport after the success of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

The Sport England Active People Survey shows that only 25.8% of women in Aylesbury Vale are taking part in their 3 x 30 minutes of exercise per week, compared to 31.6% of men.

The research identified that many women and girls would like to take up more sport or participate in exercise classes but there are a number of barriers to overcome including low confidence, lack of time and accessibility in the local area.

Councillor Angela Macpherson, cabinet member for leisure, communities and civic amenities said: “It’s great to receive funding which will help us ensure that more local women and girls are able to improve their health and wellbeing by taking part in sport and physical activity.

“There are a number of reasons why participation levels are low amongst women and girls and this programme is all about working in a variety of community settings to not only make it easier for them to get involved, but also to give them the confidence to take part.”

The programme will kick off in January 2016 with women and girls only swimming lessons, before expanding to include other activities.

Visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/active-vale-active-women for more information about the programme or email [email protected] to register your interest.

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