Maree Todd, Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport joined young women from the charity, Scottish Sports Futures, today to take part in physical games and launch Scottish Women & Girls in Sport Week 2022.
Organised by the Active Scotland Division of Scottish Government, the initiative highlights the importance of removing barriers to support and encourage women and girls to participate in sports and physical activity, highlighting the value of partnerships and the benefits activity and connection brings.
Fifteen girls from Glasgow, Fife and Stirling joined the Minister in Inverness to take part in sports games and discuss what stops girls and young women from being active.
The girls also received £24,000 worth of sports bras for the charity to distribute from The Sweaty Betty Foundation which has set up a new partnership with Scottish Sports Futures (SSF) to empower inactive girls, specifically those from lower income families and ethnically diverse communities.
“During Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2022 it’s great to see such a strong partnership between Scottish Sport Futures and the Sweaty Betty Foundation. Providing these sports bras to girls who need them will make a real difference, bringing together expertise and resources to break down the barriers that prevent participation and encouraging them to become active – hopefully for life.”
“There remains a difference in activity levels between teenage boys and girls and this is worse in areas of high deprivation. This initiative is just one of many activities we are involved in to try and address the balance and find out what prevents young girls from continuing with physical activity which we know brings so many health and mental benefits to a person’s wellbeing. “We are always looking for new relationships with organisations with values like ours and were over the moon to be approached by the Sweaty Betty Foundation to be the recipient of bras and develop a meaningful partnership. “The young people we support have many challenges in life so being able to remove a barrier to taking part and encourage really important conversations will support us in our mission to change lives through sport. Partnering with such a well-known quality brand is incredible for us and for the girls who will receive the bras.”
The Sweaty Betty Foundation was launched in 2021 by the women’s activewear brand to encourage women and girls to stay active for life.
SSF will distribute the bras at the weekly sessions it runs throughout Scotland.
“The Sweaty Betty Foundation supports and encourages girls aged 10-18 to get active, and stay active, for life.“One of the biggest barriers teenage girls face to getting active is feeling self-conscious about their changing bodies. Having the right clothing, especially a sports bra, can help empower girls to feel confident to get active, which is why the Sweaty Betty Foundation is so delighted to donate 600 sports bras to Scottish Sports Futures. Scottish Sports Futures is a fantastic organisation, and we are proud to support them to empower teenage girls to find physical activity that they love, for life”.
Following the Minister’s visit, the girls were encouraged to discuss what they think stops girls from participating in sport which includes not having the right clothes as well as periods and body confidence.
The girls are also going on to take part in a UK initiative launched by the Sweaty Betty Foundation where they can practise their leadership skills in a Dragon’s Den process to receive a grant to deliver their own girls only programme over the winter.
