Encouraging women into sport to be focus of advisory group

An advisory group is to examine how to help girls and women stay physically active throughout their lives.

The Women and Girls in Sport Board is advising the Scottish Government on how to encourage more women into sport and physical activity.

It will focus on four areas including how to ensure people don’t drop out of physical activity and sport, and how to get them involved again after a major change in their life.

The board has also unveiled its new brand and visual identity ahead of Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week which runs from September 30 to October 5.

Amanda Jones is chairwoman of the board and partner and women’s advancement director at law firm Dentons.

She said: “We recognise there are different challenges facing women and girls in relation to maintaining healthy levels of physical activity at different stages in their lives.

“We want to make sure that the work we do takes account of the issues faced by all women and girls, whatever their backgrounds or stage in life.

“We are taking the opportunity of launching our new hashtag #shecanshewill before the Scottish Women and Girls in Sport week, to help focus that discussion.”

The Women and Girls in Sport Board is made up of representatives from sport, business and the media.

It will also examine what measures could encourage women and girls to be more physically active or take up a sport, and how to help them continue being active throughout their lives.

Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing Minister Joe FitzPatrick added: “Being physically active is one of the best things we can do for both physical and mental health.

“Sport and physical activity is also great for building confidence, friendships and social networks, resilience and skills that can be used in other areas, and, importantly, it is fun.

“Scotland has a proud tradition in female sport and physical activity, not least the recent success of our national football team making the World Cup finals, and I am determined that as a nation and society we do everything we can to encourage women and girls to take part, and remove the barriers.”