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International Women’s Day is a date that, contextually, makes me reflect on how far women’s sport has come.

From being excluded entirely to selling out stadiums and becoming Euro champions, women and girls have had to overcome barrier after barrier in the UK (and beyond).

There is so much to celebrate in that progress, yet we’re still a long way from a world where sport is genuinely accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of identity.

Recognising this inequality is what shifted the direction of my own life and it continues to be the driving force behind my commitment to creating change for others. 

'Give to Gain'

This year’s theme, 'Give to Gain', really resonates with me because it reflects much of my own experience.

A lot of my journey has involved giving time, energy and care to support women, girls, trans and non-binary people, often alongside my main role, without always knowing what that would lead to.

What I’ve gained in return has been confidence, perspective and a much clearer sense of why this work matters. 

Through my role as activities and opportunities officer at Leeds University Union, I’ve been involved in work linked to the Women’s+ Sports Participation Project.

This is a great initiative that focuses on understanding why women and marginalised genders engage, or don’t engage, in sport and what needs to change to support them better.

Giving time to this work has reinforced how important it is to listen properly in order to create welcoming environments and challenge assumptions about who sport is for.

Seeing people feel more confident accessing sport and physical activity has been one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. 

Recently, I joined Sport England’s Co‑Design Group and took part in an introductory session.

While I’m still very new to the space, what stood out to me straight away was the emphasis on lived experience and learning from one another.

Women's leadership in our sector

Being in a room where people are encouraged to share honestly and where those experiences are treated as valuable, felt important.

At this stage, my role is very much about listening, learning and understanding how these spaces work, but even that feels meaningful.  

Alongside this, being part of Leading the Movement has helped me reflect on leadership and what it looks like for women in sport.

There are positive signs, for example, that more women are stepping into leadership positions and that progress deserves to be recognised.

But when you look more closely, the number of younger women in leadership roles is still relatively small and that gap matters because younger women bring different experiences, challenges and perspectives that aren’t always represented.  

This realisation has also made me think about how often society equates age with experience.

However, I’ve learned first‑hand that this isn’t true because passion can outweigh knowledge and when someone is genuinely committed to making change, they will learn with purpose.

So I want to challenge the assumption that leadership must come with age, because it overlooks the value, insight and drive that younger women bring.

The future of sport

That’s why I believe that creating space for that passion to be recognised is just as important as creating space for experience, which is what I feel Leading the Movement has really committed to. 

All of this reminds me that progress in women’s sport has never happened by accident.  

It has happened because people have been willing to give their time, their voice and their energy to push for something better.

All of this leads me to the conclussion that 'Give to Gain' isn’t just a theme, it's a necessity.

Because when we give space to people’s stories, we gain understanding. When we give opportunities to those who are overlooked, we gain stronger, more diverse leadership. And when we give our passion to a cause, we gain the possibility of real, lasting change. 

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I feel hopeful about what comes next.

There is still a long way to go, but there is also a growing community of people of all ages, identities and experiences who are determined to reshape what sport can be.

I want to be part of that movement not just to open doors for others, but by challenging the assumptions that keep those doors closed in the first place.

If we continue to listen, to learn and to lead with purpose, then the future of sport will not only be more equal, but also more representative of everyone it’s meant to serve. 

Movement has always been more than exercise for me.

My first motivation was staying healthy and trying to stave off hereditary diseases like hypertension and diabetes that run in my family (and, so far, I'm happy to say it has worked!).

But movement quickly became my outlet, my reminder that I am alive, capable and able to set goals.

The power of movement

When I lace up my trainers and step outside, I am not only moving my body. I am moving through history, community and identity, and I am claiming me. I do this for me.

This year the theme for Black History Month is ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’, highlighting the resilience and contributions of the Black community, and I am reminded that movement has long been a form of resistance, survival and celebration for Black people.

From dance to sport, movement has always been our way of claiming space, telling stories and showing strength and, for me, running is my chosen form of movement. It gives me freedom, resilience, and connection – three qualities that shape how I live and lead.

Growing up, I saw elite athletes who looked like me on TV, but I did not see everyday women like me running.

Running was not something I thought belonged to me as an adult (child me, yes, because children always run), but the first time I tried it outside as an adult, something shifted – it was not about speed or medals, it was about finding a rhythm that was mine.

Over the years, running has carried me through joy and pain.

It has helped me navigate life’s challenges, from grief and motherhood to menopause and leadership, and it has also changed how I see myself, not as the fastest or the best, but as someone who shows up, puts one foot in front of the other and keeps going.

Running has also shown me how much representation matters.

There have been times I felt invisible at races or out of place in running communities, but when I began sharing my story and weaving my Jamaican heritage into my running, I discovered others felt the same – and that, by stepping forward, I could help them feel seen.

Showing the real deal

That is why I am proud to be part of the advisory board for This Girl Can.

For the Phase Six of the campaign, we have focused on showing women as they truly are: sweaty, busy, imperfect and joyful.

Not polished versions of women exercising effortlessly, but showing real women making time for movement in the midst of their busy lives.

Being on the advisory board has given me the chance to share my perspective, especially around the barriers that Black women face in sport.

From worries about hair care, to feeling unsafe in certain spaces, to simply not seeing ourselves represented, these are real issues that stop many of us from moving freely.

Phase Six is about breaking those barriers down and telling a wider story of who belongs in movement.

This new stage of the campaign is also about making sure that when women see the campaign, they see someone who looks like them, lives like them and feels like them. Because when you can see yourself, you start to believe you belong.

From local to national

In 2019, I founded Black Girls Do Run UK.

What began as a small idea, creating space for a handful of Black women to run together, has grown into a nationwide community, because we are more than a running group. We are a family!

We celebrate milestones, we share struggles and, more than anything, we create spaces where Black women can move without judgement or stereotype.

Alongside leading the community, I hold both the Leadership in Running Fitness and Coaching in Running Fitness qualifications.

These have allowed me to support runners of all abilities, from beginners to those chasing big milestones, and to bring structured, safe and inclusive coaching into our spaces.

For us, running is not about chasing times, and all about creating a memory bank, not metrics.

It is about laughing mid-race, stopping for photos and supporting each other at the back of the pack. It is about belonging.

Together in strength

Black Girls Do Run UK exists because representation matters.

Too often, Black women are absent from the imagery of running, but by showing up in our kit at races and online, we are rewriting that narrative. We are saying we are here, we run and we belong!

For me, movement is freedom. It is the freedom to be myself, to take up space and to live well in my body and during Black History Month, that freedom feels especially powerful.

We honour the struggles of those before us, celebrate the present and move with hope for those who will come after because movement connects past, present and future.

It reminds us that while the barriers are real, so is our resilience, and it proves that when women move, communities move and change becomes possible.

So this Black History Month, I celebrate movement in all its forms: the steps, the strides, the miles and the memories. Movement has shaped me, and I will keep moving, for myself, for my community, and for the generations yet to come.

Volunteering levels have been falling over the long-term and this was accelerated by the pandemic, plus we are yet to see volunteering return to pre-pandemic (November 2018-19) levels, as there are still 1.7m (4.8%) fewer volunteers compared to seven years ago (November 2016-17).

This decline is not unique to the sport and physical activity sector.

The Community Life Survey, which measures volunteering across sectors is also reporting that levels of formal volunteering have been in decline, suggesting that there are wider social and economic factors at play.

Our recent State of the Nation report points to some of the wider changes we’ve seen that provide interesting context for the data.  

There has also been little change in who volunteers.

Women, people with disabilities or a long-term health condition and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds continue to be underrepresented in volunteering, plus those with two or more characteristics of inequality are least likely to volunteer.

The data shows that, in many ways, volunteering mirrors the stubborn inequalities that we see in sport and physical activity participation.

As a result, community sports clubs and community groups continue to miss out on the valuable skills and experiences a more diverse volunteer base could bring.

It also means that the volunteers who help deliver sport and physical activity are not always representative of the communities they serve, which can pose challenges in staying relevant to the changing needs of diverse participants and communities.

Changing this is fundamental to creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.  

Making a difference

A good starting point, and our focus in Uniting the Movement, is to focus on the volunteer experience; on changing culture and practices to enhance it, and on making it more inclusive and welcoming.

We recently commissioned Leeds Beckett University to complete an evidence and scoping review to understand the existing evidence and insights out there on the volunteer experience in sport and physical activity.

We’ll publish more details from this work as soon as we can, but it felt relevant here to share a snapshot of what the existing evidence tells us works to enhance the experience of volunteers, particularly those from underrepresented groups. These include:

• supporting the development of feelings of connection to the purpose, values, work or people of the organisation
• ensuring roles align with the individuals’ motivations to volunteer and that these roles are suited to their skills and experience
• making sure volunteers feel able to manage role demands with their available personal resources and know where and how to access support
• establishing an organisational culture that is welcoming, caring, safe and inclusive
• creating environments volunteers feel seen, heard, known and valued throughout all stages of their volunteer journey
• ensuring that organisations critically reflect on volunteer management, policies and practices
• developing person-centred approaches that underpin the recruitment, development and retention of volunteers
• providing a volunteer offer that is diversified and that's made easier through flexible, accessible and appealing roles
• designing non-linear pathways to support the development and retention of volunteers and to address any skills gaps.

What about the future?

Imagine it’s 2035 and these principles and approaches have been embedded across sport and physical activity volunteering.

What changes would we see in the data about who volunteers?

Would there be an increase in volunteering with more people encouraged to give their time to support others to get active?

What we want is to see a future where volunteering in sport is uncomplicated, meaningful, well supported and easily integrated into people’s life.

And for this to be possible we need an inclusive, accessible, people-centric culture where volunteering is accessible and relevant to everyone.

We hope that, in the future, the volunteer workforce will reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, and that the experience of participants is richer and more positive within this inclusive environment.

I’m really looking forward to discussing and reflecting on these findings with our partners to understand how we might create these conditions in more of the clubs, groups and organisations to improve the experience of volunteers across the country.

In the meantime, I hope that this provides some inspiration for even small changes to help improve the experience of volunteers right now.

This funding, while a small proportion of The FA’s overall turnover, drives initiatives aimed at tackling inequalities and increasing participation among under-represented groups.

What we've learnt from football 

There are different learnings we’ve achieved from these initiatives that are also contributing to Sport England's long-term strategy – Uniting the Movement. 

Efforts should be made to keep girls in the sport 

Recognising the common challenge of drop-off in girls’ sports participation during teenage years, The FA developed ‘Squad’– a programme that’s designed to be a fun, non-competitive initiative for girls aged 12-14.

This model, which could be replicated across other sports, prioritises enjoyment and social connection, and aims to retain girls in football while building their confidence and leadership skills.

In addition, they have developed a new talent ID programme called Discover My Talent, shifting the way they find and support talented footballers.

The FA’s learnings from this programme highlight that moving away from a traditional approach, focused on existing clubs and academies, enables them to identify potential "anywhere, anytime."

This approach aims to identify talented players across the country, within diverse groups and at any kind of football events and sessions to broadening opportunities across different communities, resulting in more diverse talent pathways for women and girls.

The FA reports that they are seeing positive results, with increased diversity in the top talent programmes.

Increasing opportunities for disabled players 

The FA is committed to growing para- and disability football and to closing the disability gap, partly through initiatives like ‘Comets’ – a recreational program for disabled children aged 5-11 that provides fun and accessible entry opportunities to the sport.

While aiming to expand Comets and the provision of disability football, The FA acknowledges challenges such as workforce training, confidence levels of local coaches to support disabled people and logistical barriers to attending sessions – like the time and financial costs of travel – for para-athletes.

In response, The FA are providing disability training and toolkits for clubs, called Journey to Inclusion, with the aim of proactively addressing these challenges.

The FA have identified potential for cross-sector collaboration and knowledge sharing with other system partners to continue to address these difficulties, as well as using football as a hook to engage disabled people and connect them with other sports.

Investing in the workforce to reflect the communities served

As many system partners have told us, local champions have an important role for creating local change.

Recognising the need for a diverse workforce to help diversify participation, The FA is actively working to increase the number of Black and Asian coaches in grassroots football.

And by targeting specific localities and offering more coaching opportunities, The FA aims to create a coaching landscape that reflects the communities it serves.

The role of local partnerships for building a stronger ecosystem

The FA is increasingly working locally, tailoring programmes to the unique needs of different communities.

Their experience is that partnerships with community groups and schools are key to reaching under-represented groups.

Ensuring safeguarding standards when partnering with non-accredited organisations is recognised as a challenge, so they are actively supporting community organisations in developing their safeguarding processes through training and qualifications.

Looking at what's to come

The new Learning Synthesis report based on the year two evaluation report will be published soon with more insights from the ongoing evaluation.

It will also include the collective contributions that partners are making to changing the sport and physical activity system.

We hope this series of blogs have been useful and if you have any comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you, so please get in touch.