LJMU backs campaign to get women and girls more active

LJMU’s world-leading School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has thrown its weight behind an Andy Burnham-backed campaign to encourage more girls and women to be physically active.

The school has led groundbreaking studies in sexism in sport, obstacles to gym-going and men’s attitudes to women in sport. It also played a key role in the Active Cities project which promotes a data-led approach to interventions in public exercise.

Now, experts in the school have signed the university up to the Merseyside Sport Partnership, the regional body responsible for closing the activity gender gap. Currently 58% of females achieve the recommended 150 minutes of exercise weekly compared to 62% of men.

Andy Burnham and Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram have also signed up Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region respectively to support plans to address barriers and to provide training, education, and new opportunities to support participation.

Government to grassroots

Justine Blomeley, CEO of the Merseyside Sport Partnership, said: “We caught Andy and Steve together and we’re delighted to get their buy-in. It’s really important to raise awareness of the gender gap at all levels from governments to grassroots.

“We’re delighted to have the involvement of LJMU and hope that through research or student activity they can make an impact on the health, wellbeing and confidence of women.

“Remember this is not about women not understanding the value of physical activity, it’s about reducing the barriers to participation.”

Forty-eight local organisations have signed up to the Merseyside Sport Partnership but LJMU is the first university. Dr Aileen Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement and Partnerships), said: “We’re thrilled to be the first and hope to encourage other local universities to join us.”

Involved in many ways

Dr Tori Sprung, lead for the school on the initiative, says joining the partnership will enable a more strategic plan to evolve. “We are already involved in so many ways in tackling the issues of barriers to participation, so this move will help us dovetail our work to government agendas and enable sharing of information and activity.”

The new gender-gap plan for the region is strong on linking grassroots realities to top-down policy and above all emphasises cultural behaviour.

“This is not a ‘build and they will come’ approach. People need reasons and confidence and social support to use sport facilities for instance. We need to normalise physical activity for women,” added Justine.

One area LJMU hopes to explore is to send out coaches and health experts to train others in the community.