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 'Empower Her' fund supports inclusive football sessions, leadership pathways, and stronger local partnerships.
Experience, education and data garnered by the pioneering Prehab4Cancer (P4C) programme in Greater Manchester has helped to shape national guidelines on cancer care adopted by the NHS and Macmillan Cancer Support.
By understanding cultural norms, feelings of belonging, and how safe people feel in a space, we can make physical activity more inclusive for everyone.