Calling all Lion Lasses!
An innovative football project launched off the back of the Lionesses' Euros success is giving women in Gateshead a chance to try the beautiful game for the first time.
In conjunction with the Football Foundation, we launched our first Active Through Football programme in January 2022 thanks to funding from Sport England and The National Lottery, with the aim of increasing women's football opportunities in the area.
Demand went through the roof following the Lionesses' victory at last summer's European Championships, leading to the launch of a new Lion Lasses scheme aimed at beginners looking to take their first steps onto the pitch.
The programme has flourished since, with a super league competition launched at the start of this year and Active Through Football Project Lead Josh Scott hailed the transformative effect of football, on and off the pitch:
"We run weekly sessions for beginners, people who haven't played in a long time or haven't played at all. It has provided opportunities to people who have never had them before. Those weekly sessions are highly successful. People have come along, and they are becoming better footballers, but they are also benefiting from socialising with others.
"We have created a Lion Lasses monthly super league, which is something a bit more competitive. We started that in January, we have four teams with official referees and the last match day was in July - so it has run for seven months, and they are crying out for it to come back for a second season."
The new offering of football opportunities has even provided new employment opportunities and skills for participants, with one player being taken on as an apprentice by the Hat Trick Project, a local organisation that runs the sessions.
Funding from The National Lottery means each session has qualified coaches and proper facilities and equipment, with some players going on to take their first coaching qualifications after the programme re-ignited their love of the game.
The North East has long been well-represented at the top level of women's football, with the likes of Jill Scott, Beth Mead, and Lucy Bronze all hailing from the region but Josh believes there is still plenty more to do to develop women's opportunities and hopes this summer's World Cup can be a catalyst for even more change:
"The North East is a hotbed for football, and it is very prominent no matter where you are, football is a massive part of the community. But there is definitely a gap there for women's football. Girls' football is starting to become more prominent, but in terms of the opportunities for women to get involved in football, there is still a lot of work to be done. The likes of Jill Scott from up here, you can see her doing so well and that has really pushed things on even further. We have been doing this since January and you can already see the buzz the Euros has created, and we are hoping the World Cup can do something even more for the sport."
Read more about the Lion Lasses and Active Through Football
National Lottery players have transformed women and girls' football in the UK, with more than £50 million invested in the last 10 years alone. Find out more on the National Lottery Good Causes website (opens new window)
An innovative football project launched off the back of the Lionesses' Euros success is giving women in Gateshead a chance to try the beautiful game for the first time.
In conjunction with the Football Foundation, we launched our first Active Through Football programme in January 2022 thanks to funding from Sport England and The National Lottery, with the aim of increasing women's football opportunities in the area.
Demand went through the roof following the Lionesses' victory at last summer's European Championships, leading to the launch of a new Lion Lasses scheme aimed at beginners looking to take their first steps onto the pitch.
The programme has flourished since, with a super league competition launched at the start of this year and Active Through Football Project Lead Josh Scott hailed the transformative effect of football, on and off the pitch:
"We run weekly sessions for beginners, people who haven't played in a long time or haven't played at all. It has provided opportunities to people who have never had them before. Those weekly sessions are highly successful. People have come along, and they are becoming better footballers, but they are also benefiting from socialising with others.
"We have created a Lion Lasses monthly super league, which is something a bit more competitive. We started that in January, we have four teams with official referees and the last match day was in July - so it has run for seven months, and they are crying out for it to come back for a second season."
The new offering of football opportunities has even provided new employment opportunities and skills for participants, with one player being taken on as an apprentice by the Hat Trick Project, a local organisation that runs the sessions.
Funding from The National Lottery means each session has qualified coaches and proper facilities and equipment, with some players going on to take their first coaching qualifications after the programme re-ignited their love of the game.
The North East has long been well-represented at the top level of women's football, with the likes of Jill Scott, Beth Mead, and Lucy Bronze all hailing from the region but Josh believes there is still plenty more to do to develop women's opportunities and hopes this summer's World Cup can be a catalyst for even more change:
"The North East is a hotbed for football, and it is very prominent no matter where you are, football is a massive part of the community. But there is definitely a gap there for women's football. Girls' football is starting to become more prominent, but in terms of the opportunities for women to get involved in football, there is still a lot of work to be done. The likes of Jill Scott from up here, you can see her doing so well and that has really pushed things on even further. We have been doing this since January and you can already see the buzz the Euros has created, and we are hoping the World Cup can do something even more for the sport."
Read more about the Lion Lasses and Active Through Football
National Lottery players have transformed women and girls' football in the UK, with more than £50 million invested in the last 10 years alone. Find out more on the National Lottery Good Causes website (opens new window)
