North Kensington's women and girls are being urged to bridge the 'gender gap' and participate in sport with the help of the Westway Development Trust.
The Westway, which is a non-profit trust, is hosting a festival next month (March 14) to celebrate the strides it has made to help local women of all ages and backgrounds to get fit, active and healthy.
It has hundreds of women and girls on its books taking part in a variety of cheap programmes, from fitness lessons held in the borough's schools and 'Salsacise' classes, to tea and walking clubs for older people.
"We want to help women and girls overcome the barriers that exist to taking part in sport," says Laura Pugh, of the community sports team, based at the Westway Sports Centre in Crowthorne Road.
"There's the question of childcare, cost and families often supporting their sons to play sport, but not the daughters. But the interest is out there in Kensington and Chelsea and we've grown from nothing to have 500 women and girls on
our database. I think they just need to have the confidence that there are facilities for them and a broad range of interesting sports and activities to participate in."
Women and girls in London are much less likely to take part in sport than men for a variety of social, cultural, family and personal reasons. A quarter of women are never encouraged to take part in sport and drop-out rates among those who enjoy sport at school are high after they reach 16.
It is a disparity the Government is keen to address. The 2012 London Olympics is widely seen as an opportunity to boost the fitness of all Londoners and it is hoped resources will filter down to grassroots sports organisation, such as The Westway.
Gemma Parker, one of the Westway's community sports coaches who takes classes in over 20 of the borough's schools, says a lack of parental support is one of the reasons talented young girls drop out.
"I know some very talented girls who have been told by their parents they shouldn't play sport.
"They don't have the support and can be easily distracted by the hundreds of other things going on in a young girls' life.
"I come from an active family and when we were young we'd always be out walking, climbing trees, playing sport.
"For many girls that doesn't happen, it's seen as something they don't do. We want to change that."
To appeal to all ages and abilities The Westway holds lifestyle programmes and taster sessions covering everything from hair and beauty, healthy eating, fitness, climbing, tennis, badminton and pilates.
It is also building programmes targeted at specific local groups.
Women from black and ethnic minority communities have particularly low rates.
Just 12 per cent of Asian women and 14 per cent of Caribbean women take part in a physical activity for at least 30 minutes, three times a week, with an impact on their health and the habits of their children.
The Westway community sports team work closely with dozens of local groups from the Muslim Cultural heritage Centre, in Acklam Road, to the Moroccan women's group in Golborne Road, to involve all North Kensington communities in their programmes.
"Many Muslim ladies have specific needs such as privacy from men, different sports clothing or equipment. We're trying to start swimming classes for Muslim women as a way to get them involved," added Laura.
Gemma and Laura are looking for local organisations to help out with the March 14 event and spread the sporting word to the hundreds of people expected to join the festivities.
The team also want to hear from potential sponsors and businesses who can provide prizes on the day.
The Westway, which is a non-profit trust, is hosting a festival next month (March 14) to celebrate the strides it has made to help local women of all ages and backgrounds to get fit, active and healthy.
It has hundreds of women and girls on its books taking part in a variety of cheap programmes, from fitness lessons held in the borough's schools and 'Salsacise' classes, to tea and walking clubs for older people.
"We want to help women and girls overcome the barriers that exist to taking part in sport," says Laura Pugh, of the community sports team, based at the Westway Sports Centre in Crowthorne Road.
"There's the question of childcare, cost and families often supporting their sons to play sport, but not the daughters. But the interest is out there in Kensington and Chelsea and we've grown from nothing to have 500 women and girls on
our database. I think they just need to have the confidence that there are facilities for them and a broad range of interesting sports and activities to participate in."
Women and girls in London are much less likely to take part in sport than men for a variety of social, cultural, family and personal reasons. A quarter of women are never encouraged to take part in sport and drop-out rates among those who enjoy sport at school are high after they reach 16.
It is a disparity the Government is keen to address. The 2012 London Olympics is widely seen as an opportunity to boost the fitness of all Londoners and it is hoped resources will filter down to grassroots sports organisation, such as The Westway.
Gemma Parker, one of the Westway's community sports coaches who takes classes in over 20 of the borough's schools, says a lack of parental support is one of the reasons talented young girls drop out.
"I know some very talented girls who have been told by their parents they shouldn't play sport.
"They don't have the support and can be easily distracted by the hundreds of other things going on in a young girls' life.
"I come from an active family and when we were young we'd always be out walking, climbing trees, playing sport.
"For many girls that doesn't happen, it's seen as something they don't do. We want to change that."
To appeal to all ages and abilities The Westway holds lifestyle programmes and taster sessions covering everything from hair and beauty, healthy eating, fitness, climbing, tennis, badminton and pilates.
It is also building programmes targeted at specific local groups.
Women from black and ethnic minority communities have particularly low rates.
Just 12 per cent of Asian women and 14 per cent of Caribbean women take part in a physical activity for at least 30 minutes, three times a week, with an impact on their health and the habits of their children.
The Westway community sports team work closely with dozens of local groups from the Muslim Cultural heritage Centre, in Acklam Road, to the Moroccan women's group in Golborne Road, to involve all North Kensington communities in their programmes.
"Many Muslim ladies have specific needs such as privacy from men, different sports clothing or equipment. We're trying to start swimming classes for Muslim women as a way to get them involved," added Laura.
Gemma and Laura are looking for local organisations to help out with the March 14 event and spread the sporting word to the hundreds of people expected to join the festivities.
The team also want to hear from potential sponsors and businesses who can provide prizes on the day.
