Women and girls from across Birmingham came together at Avery Fields on Saturday 4 July for Sport 4 Life UK’s free Women’s & Girls Sports Festival, celebrating sport, community and wellbeing.
The event welcomed women and girls aged 14-40 for an afternoon of free activities, giving attendees the chance to try a variety of sports, meet local clubs and organisations, and discover opportunities to stay active beyond the festival.
Participants took part in sessions delivered by a range of local sports providers, including Solihull Moors Foundation, She Beats, Pat Benson Boxing Academy, Birmingham United, Warwickshire Cricket and Support Through Sport. Alongside the sporting activities, attendees were also able to access advice and support from Umbrella Sexual Health Services and Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid, helping to promote both physical and emotional wellbeing.
The festival was designed to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where women and girls of all abilities could have a go at something new, build confidence and connect with others in their local community.
One participant said:
“I absolutely loved it. I’d never tried boxing before, but everyone was so friendly and encouraging that I just gave it a go. It was great being able to try different sports all in one place and meet clubs I didn’t even know existed near me. I also ended up chatting to loads of new people, so it felt like much more than just a sports event. I’ll definitely be getting involved again.” Kay
The festival forms part of the West Midlands Women’s Sports Network, a pioneering initiative led by Sport 4 Life UK in partnership with Women in Sport and supported by The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls. The network was established to increase opportunities for women and girls to participate in sport while creating pathways into volunteering, leadership, mentoring, training and employment.
Rebecca Meah, Women’s and Girls Network Lead at Sport 4 Life UK, said:
“It was fantastic to see women and girls trying new activities, meeting local organisations and experiencing the positive impact that sport can have. Events like this are about much more than physical activity – they’re about building confidence, creating connections and showing that there are welcoming opportunities available right on your doorstep. We’d like to thank every organisation that helped make the day such a success and everyone who came along and got involved.”
Sport 4 Life UK would like to thank all of the organisations who supported the festival, helping to showcase the wide range of opportunities available for women and girls across Birmingham.
The Women’s & Girls Sports Festival is one of a number of activities being delivered through the West Midlands Women’s Sports Network, which continues to work with local communities and partners to make sport more accessible, inclusive and empowering for women and girls across the region.