Lionesses Inspiring Thousands Back Home
Lionesses inspire young women to go for goal at London football event
With viewing figures on the rise and England’s women’s football team more popular then ever, now could be a good time to get involved in the women’s game.
And last weekend over 150 young women rallied together on Saturday to compete in a major seven-a-side competition as part of the B Active summer showcase.
Inspired by the continued success of the Lionesses in France, more young women than ever took part in this year’s B Active tournament in Mile End. Now in its second year, B Active helps young people from disadvantaged areas access sport, physical activity and training through sessions on sport and health-related issues such as diet, fitness and mental wellbeing.
In total, 340 young women have attended B Active through programmes running in north and south London – and a further 1,406 young women have been involved throughout the UK.
B Active programmes in Belfast, Hull, Manchester, Newport, North and South London are supported by Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS), one of the UK’s leading soft drinks manufacturers, and Active Communities Network, a charity promoting physical activity and vocational training. The programme is also part-funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
Through B Active, participants have been able to develop new skills, find employment opportunities and discover alternative routes to education, through vocational training. More than 80 North London participants are now volunteering in the local community, with 74% earning accredited qualifications through B Active.
B Active is building on the 4,000 young men and women already enrolled across the country, this year looking to drive greater participation among women, as social studies by Active Communities Network found women 16+ face the greatest barriers to entry.
The news comes as the England Lionesses take to the world stage for the FIFA Women’s World Cup supported by Lucozade Ribena Suntory’s leading sports brand, Lucozade Sport. Hoping to drive greater awareness of the women’s game, the England Lionesses have for the first time in history been placed on a limited-edition Lucozade Sport bottle as part of the company’s wider mission to inspire men and women through sport.
This was the first of three B Active showcases taking place in London this summer before all the regional programmes come together in Manchester for the National B Active Summer Showcase on 22 August. The North London B Active men’s event will be held in Stonebridge on 26 July and the South London B Active women’s event in Southwark on 9 August.
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