Hertfordshire based organisation Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) ran its annual week-long campaign to encourage women and girls in the area into physical activity last month, with a view to “raising the profile of female sport and physical activity and decreasing the inactivity epidemic”.

"This girl can in Herts" ran from 18-24 June in conjunction with Sport England’s national "This girl can" campaign, which was first launched in January 2015.

Activities ranged from intense cardio sessions to boxing circuit sessions to dance sessions and took place in towns across the county. Prices varied per activity for users.

Participation was high according to HSP, though no exact numbers have been released. Notable partner sessions, in particular, were Welwyn Lacrosse Club’s free taster session and Fullerians RFC in Watford’s rugby fitness training session. St Albans Sub Aqua Club filled up 14 spaces on two try-dives while Stevenage Starlets FC received local activation funding to host a girls football taster session that saw over 50 girls of differing ages attend.

Alex Varran, HSP’s women and girls’ project officer, said: “The 2018 ‘This girl can in Herts’ campaign week was phenomenal and I am very proud to see the high levels of engagement with the campaign from partners all across Hertfordshire. It was brilliant to see local clubs, leisure providers, community groups and schools getting on board with the campaign by running taster sessions throughout the week.”