As we celebrate #GMMovingInAction we take a look at Just Play Football in Oldham.
The Just Play Women’s session brings together both Active Through Football Oldham and Oldham Athletic Community Trust to support women into playing football in a non-competitive way. The group plays every Tuesday evening and more recently they have been playing against other community initiatives in friendly matches, this has allowed our ladies to gain confidence in a match environment to move towards more affiliated football. Recently the group have been regionally recognised by the county FA winning the Lioness award at an awards evening.
One participant said, "Joining the women’s recreational sessions gave me the confidence to return to club football after over a decade away. I’d barely kicked a ball since I aged out of U16’s and found open-age too intimidating, but after seeing an advert on Twitter I decided to find my old boots. The ladies at the Latics session were so welcoming and encouraging, that after a few weeks, I was self-assured enough to go for a club trial. I’ve now signed for AFC Oldham and I still play with the Latics girls on a Tuesday evening!"
The vision was clear: to create a sports day where VI children could compete on equal terms, where the experience was designed specifically for them "not as an accommodation, but as the main event".
Leading from the Balcony, by GM Moving CEO Hayley Lever, is available now with all proceeds supporting our future work in Greater Manchester.
Life Leisure is getting behind Let’s Lift the Curfew, a national movement from This Girl Can, by hosting 5k run clubs around Stockport between November and March.