Alex Mitchell, Communications Officer, London Sport
Earlier this year, London Sport brought together organisations from across the sector for Safeguarding in Sport Week. There, Gary Lambert-Snaith, CEO of Waltham Forest Community Hub, met Kirsty McMahon, Regional Project Lead for Moves Different at England Boxing, sparking the idea that led to the Squad Girls Football Camp.
The idea was a simple one: a free summer programme for girls aged 11 to 16 in Waltham Forest, with qualified and experienced coaches delivering football, boxing and other activities for all abilities.
I visited one of the sessions in August. On a bright summer day, the energy around the camp was immediately clear. Girls were playing football, learning boxing skills, training together and trying different activities, with plenty of laughter and encouragement throughout.
What struck me was that access to sport is about much more than simply putting an activity on.
Having run my own sports charity for more than a decade, I have seen first-hand how many barriers can sit between someone and the opportunity to take part. Much of the work of my charity has focused on access to kit and equipment, but the principle is much wider. Cost, confidence, safety and simply feeling that an activity is for you can all make a difference.
I recently read a House of Lords Library briefing on girls’ participation in sport which reinforced just how persistent some of these barriers remain. The 2025 Youth Sport Trust Girls Active Survey found that girls remain less likely than boys to meet recommended activity levels. It also found that girls were more than three times as likely as boys to say they did not feel confident taking part in physical activity.
For me, that makes the experience around an activity just as important as the activity itself. If a young person tries something new and feels welcome, supported and comfortable giving it a go, that can shape how they think about being active in the future.
It is a principle reflected in our Space for Girls work. Rather than assuming what girls need, the project was shaped by listening to teenage girls about the activities they wanted and the places where they would feel safe and comfortable being active.
That was part of what I liked about the Squad Girls Football Camp. There was no sense that you had to arrive already seeing yourself as a footballer or boxer. Girls could come along, try something different, learn alongside others and enjoy being active.
We have pulled together a short video from the camp, showing the activities taking place and hearing directly from some of the girls involved, as well as Gary and Kirsty.
Speaking to Gary during the session, one thing that stayed with me was his point about the ability of sport to create a sense of belonging. As he put it:
“Sport has the unique ability to bring people together, break down barriers and create a real sense of belonging. Through collaboration, this project was set up to create an inclusive and fun environment for young girls and potentially introduce football and/or boxing as opportunities that in some cases they may not have experienced before.”
I also enjoyed speaking with Kirsty about how the camp had come together. She summed up the value of that initial connection brilliantly:
“Introducing young people to new sports can open doors to opportunities and positive pathways they may not otherwise have encountered. Our Moves Different x WFC Hub session was a great example of this in action, and it wouldn’t have happened without Gary and I first meeting through a London Sport event and making that initial connection. It’s a great reminder of the impact that bringing people and organisations together can have.”
For me, this is why connecting people remains such an important part of London Sport’s work. You never quite know where an introduction might lead.
In this case, it led to girls in Waltham Forest having the chance to try something new, be active and enjoy sport in an environment where they felt welcome. Those early experiences matter. Creating the opportunity is only part of the job. We also have to make sure people feel that sport is somewhere they belong.
- Watch our Safeguarding in Sport Week video
- Find out more about our work on Space for Girls
- Learn how the Sport Welfare team at London Sport can support you
Notes to Editor
At London Sport, we aim to help all Londoners live longer, healthier, and happier lives by being active. A big part of that is connecting organisations, people and communities who can help create more opportunities for Londoners to take part.
