Sport Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities have marked the end of a landmark summer of female sport by announcing an investment of nearly £120,000 over the next year into creating opportunities for women and girls to get active and develop leadership skills through sport and physical activity.
The summer of 2017 saw Northern Ireland play host to both the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Féile Peil na nÓg and UEFA Women’s Under 19s Championships. The newly announced investment, to be delivered as part of the ‘Active Fit and Sporty’ project, is aimed and building of the legacy of both events, and ensuring that all new and returning participants are inspired, welcomed and enthused about staying active.
The ‘Active Fit and Sporty’ originally launched in 2016, and to date has provided over 3,000 women across Northern Ireland the chance to take part in a range of grassroots sports initiatives. This latest investment into the project will see the Department for Communities and Sport Northern Ireland collaborate with the Irish Football Association Foundation, Ulster Branch, Irish Rugby Football Association, Ulster GAA and Northern Ireland Sports Forum in promoting female sport within the sport, disability sport, education, community and voluntary sectors.
Sport Northern Ireland Chair George Lucas said:
“This has been an outstanding summer of female sport in Northern Ireland. The great success of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Féile Peil na nÓg in Fermanagh, and the UEFA European’s Under-19 Championship have inspired women and girls of all ages and abilities to get active, fit and sporty. It is important to harness this energy and enthusiasm and continue to develop and promote female sport locally.
That’s why Sport Northern Ireland is delighted to be announcing this latest investment into the ‘Active Fit and Sporty’ project. We are committed to working with our partners in the Department for Communities, the Irish Football Association Foundation, Ulster Branch, Irish Rugby Football Association, Ulster GAA and Northern Ireland Sports Forum to continue creating opportunities and developing leaders needed to engage women and girls in sport and physical activity.”
Pictured recently at a collaborative planning are representatives from Eliza Downey (Ulster Rugby), Angela Platt (Female Sports Forum), Ciaran Murtagh (Ulster GAA) Danielle McDowell (Female Sports Forum), Matthew Holmes (Ulster Rugby), Julie O’Neill (Ulster Camogie), Gail Redmond ( Irish Football Association) and Ruairi Cunningham (Ulster GAA).