01/11/11….New scheme to help women in the distirct get active
A new scheme has been launched in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse to encourage women to become more active.
?Active Women? will target women with children under the age of 16 to help them increase their activity levels and become more involved in sport.
The scheme works by specifically targeting locations in the two districts, including Thame North, where there are a high number of women with children, and providing them with a selection of sports, based on which were the most popular with women in these areas.
In South Oxfordshire up to 105 women in Aston Rowant, Benson, Crowmarsh, Didcot Ladygrove and Thame North will benefit from netball, badminton, tennis and athletics sessions, which will be arranged specifically for them.
Where suitable, childcare arrangements will be made available at the sessions in both districts.
?Active Women? is a Sport England scheme, funded by the National Lottery, which supports projects around the country designed to get women with children more active. The scheme is the second part of a multi-themed project designed to tackle gaps in sports participation.
The scheme in South and Vale is also receiving funding from Active Nation, GLL/Nexus Community, Oxfordshire Sports Partnership, SOLL Leisure, South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council.
The scheme will be run in South and Vale by the new Active Women co-ordinator, Lil Roe. Women living in the targeted areas, as well as any local coaches or potential volunteers, who wish to get involved with the Active Women sessions should contact Lil on 01491 823135.
Cllr Bill Service, cabinet member for leisure in South Oxfordshire, said: ?The Active Women scheme will provide a fantastic opportunity for women with children to get more active, try sports that they haven?t done before, and make new friends in the process.?
Cllr Elaine Ware, cabinet member for leisure in the Vale, said: ?We know that women have less opportunity to participate in sporting activities when they have children to look after, so we hope that by bringing these specially targeted sessions to them they are able to enjoy playing sport again.?
IMAGE: Courtesy of blogs.culture.gov.uk
