With England women’s successes recently the impact of women’s/girl’s football is on an increase, and now is a perfect time to consider improving opportunities for girls’ football across our area.

There can sometimes be a stigma around girls playing football, with less chances for girls to participate in the sport. Men’s football is always talked about, highlighted, and supported with plenty of football clubs and sessions available. It is therefore important for us to acknowledge this and create a rise of equal access to football for girls. At Hexham FC we already do this with a few girl’s teams already. However, we wish to increase this and open up to younger girls too and we already support the growth and development of female youth football through the FA's Wildcats initiative.

Samantha Burns, spokesperson for Hexham FC said “For rural clubs like Hexham FC, grants like this will allow us to help more girls have access to football that meets their social, emotional, and physical needs."

To boost funds for extra food and activity equipment, Tesco is introducing a £5m grant programme, in partnership with Groundwork UK, to give children across the UK a stronger start in life. The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.
Tesco’s Stronger Starts – previously Tesco Bags of Help and Tesco Community Grants - has already provided over £110 million to more than 60,000 projects across Britain.

Claire de Silva, Tesco UK Head of Communities and Local Media, said: “Helping schools and children’s groups access the food and resources they need is vitally important in getting children a stronger start in life. Children with enough food have more energy, better concentration, and ultimately achieve more too."

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it’s so important that children stay fed, fit, and focused, so we’re delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. To find out more visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts

Ends
Issued by Hexham FC

For further information please contact: hexhamfootballclub@gmail.com

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information please visit: tescoplc.com/strongerstarts