Vale Council’s Sport And Play Initiative Continues To Get Girls On The Move
A TWO-HOUR taster session hosted by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Sports and Play Development team has enabled young Vale girls to try their hand at a variety of sport-based activities.
Taking place at Llantwit Major Leisure Centre, the session aimed to allow girls to gauge which activity they would like to return to in the future by introducing them to badminton, street dance, football and touch rugby.
The response and consequent feedback will now inform the Sports and Play team’s planning of future events in order to maintain girls’ engagement.
Informal and social, and involving music, the event in Llantwit Major formed part of the Council’s Girls on the Move initiative – which makes up part of the Active Young People scheme – and is all about getting more young people active, more often, by encouraging them to exercise more frequently throughout the week.
The scheme has engaged over 160 girls since starting last year, with Glowminton in Barry and a running group in Penarth encouraging more girls to participate in badminton and running respectively.
Glowminton, in particular, highlights the fun and interactive theme running throughout all Girls on the Move activities: having heard that young residents wished for informal social activities involving music, glowminton – held at Holm View Leisure Centre in Barry – uses UV shuttlecocks and nets, as well as neon wristbands and body-paint whilst playing badminton to music.
Councillor Gwyn John, pictured above at the street dancing activity at Llantwit Major, is Cabinet Member for Visible, Leisure and Regulatory Services, and said: “The Girls on the Move scheme was set up with the aim of encouraging more girls to become more active, more often.
“We have seen some encouraging results so far, with an increase in participation due, in-part, to the informed planning of our Sports and Play team.
“By listening to what our young residents want, we have been able to plan fun, inclusive, events that continue to engage girls across the Vale of Glamorgan.”
Next up, the Sport and Play team, in partnership with Welsh Cycling and Breeze Rides, are set to host a Girls and Women cycling group on Saturday 08 April.
Taking place at Cosmeston Park, between 10am-12pm, the group is aimed at beginners aged 10 and over. Informal coaching will take place before the ride around Cosmeston, so that participants become more confident on their bikes.
Participants are required to take their own bikes and helmets.
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