A new collaboration the Women’s Sport Trust charity and international exercise equipment manufacturer Matrix Fitness is bidding to raise the profile of role models in women’s sport in the UK.

The partnership will see both organisations working to maximise opportunities to spotlight leading female sports stars – with a primary goal of getting more women and girls taking part in sport.

The renewed pledge to strive for sporting equality for both sexes comes after a recent international report warned that women are in danger of becoming “second class citizens,” if more is not done to bridge the gap. Meanwhile, the commitment to increased participation follows findings from a cross-party report that girls are being put off sport through conventional PE lessons and must be engaged through “more imaginative” activities, such as dance and cycling.

Matrix has long been a supporter of women’s sport in the UK, sponsoring high profile sporting role models such as Sally Gunnell, Nicole Cooke and Dani King, and investing in female road cycling events and a professional female cycling team for a number of years.

Following a successful campaign in last year’s Women’s Tour of Britain, The Matrix-Vulpine Cycling team, which hopes to gain UCI status in the coming months, recently announced high profile signings for the 2015 season including double Olympic champion Laura Trott.

“We have long been passionate advocates for changing the landscape in sport in order bring equality for women in terms of media exposure, funding and opportunities to compete,” said Matrix MD Jon Johnston.

“The work of Women’s Sport Trust is very much aligned with our own ambitions and we have been incredibly impressed with the progressive, dynamic attitude of this young charity.”

To mark the launch of this relationship on September 30, Women’s Sport Trust co-founder Jo Bostock will be compering a Q&A with Sally Gunnell and Dani King as part of Matrix’s ‘Celebration of Women in Sport’ day taking place at the Leisure Industry Week show in Birmingham.

“We’re keen to move the perception of women’s sport from worthy to irresistible and are thrilled that an organisation like Matrix Fitness has chosen to partner with us to help make this happen,” said Bostock.

“We’ve been impressed by all they have achieved in the area of women’s cycling in recent years and hope that together we can build on this progress by positively engaging with many other sports and athletes at all levels.”