By Andy Gilpin

Copyright dailystar

Sport England’s revolutionary This Girl Can initiative is back with a bang, launching the empowering new campaign, We Like the Way You Move. The campaign aims to redefine the image of active women and give a voice to those from underrepresented groups. A TV advert features thirteen women from all over England, cast straight off the streets and engaging in activities that mirror their everyday lives. From family bike rides and kitchen dance-offs to pregnancy yoga, wheelchair rugby, boxing, and walking football, these women are shown in their element. Set to the beat of a revamped version of BodyRockers’ classic tune I Like the Way, the campaign coincides with a fresh study highlighting the long road ahead for sports and physical activity to truly represent all women. The study utilised AI technology to analyse over 4,000 publicly accessible photos from sports clubs, community centres, parks, gyms, swimming pools and other leisure facilities across England, sourced via Google Maps. The findings were stark: Black women, South Asian women, women with disabilities, older women and pregnant women are virtually absent from the online portrayal of sport and physical activity. The analysis revealed… Kate Dale, Director of Marketing at This Girl Can and Sport England said: “A picture is worth a thousand words and our findings are clear: some women remain underrepresented in the physical activity spaces that should welcome them. And if you don’t see yourself pictured, it’s hard to believe you belong there. When women are left out, they miss out on the physical, mental and social benefits of being active, which deepens health inequalities across the country. “The sport and physical activity sector has made some great progress on inclusion, but our research shows there is more work to do to reach all women. From offering women-only sessions to creating more low-impact classes to supporting with childcare on site, we want more physical activity providers to make real changes on the ground so that women have genuine choice in how they get moving.” Kate Peers, Head of Campaigns (Strategic Lead) at This Girl Can and Sport England, added: “This exciting new phase of This Girl Can celebrates women who are finding their own ways to move – on their terms, in their everyday lives – showing that every way of getting active counts. Just 10 minutes of movement boosts your energy, sleep, confidence and mood. And for the women who have been left out of the sport and physical activity space, starting with 10 minutes of movement is a brilliant way to build confidence.” One of the faces of the campaign, Amanda, 49, has always been a fitness enthusiast, dabbling in everything from Boxfit and martial arts to gardening at her East London home. However, perimenopause has brought about unexpected changes in her relationship with exercise. “Perimenopause really smacked me in the face,” she confessed. “Among the physical ailments, the hardest part was not being able to do the community boxing fitness I loved. I could barely walk, strapping up my knees just to get by. “It’s been a rollercoaster, but over the past two years I’ve managed to build a routine that works for me. I learned that short bursts of weight-bearing exercise – a few minutes a day, even just jumping on the spot – can really help. “Movement is non-negotiable now. I’ve found joy in moving on my own terms, whether it’s boxing, Pilates, stretching in my garden, or dancing around before bed with my daughter. Exercise feels like I’ve caught a breath of fresh air – it supports my mind, body, and soul.” Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said: “This Girl Can has inspired millions over the past decade, and this new campaign shines a light on women who have been overlooked for too long. As a government we have recently launched our new Women’s Sport Taskforce outlining our intent to become world leaders in women’s sport at all levels. With £400million announced for grassroots facilities at the Spending Review we are committed to accelerating access for women and girls to pitches and we’ve invested in the Women’s Rugby World Cup Impact 25 legacy programme which is already benefiting 850 clubs. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of physical activity, and as we look to remove all barriers to participation, This Girl Can will be vital in making that a reality.” The latest iteration of This Girl Can stems from research revealing that merely one in 10 women from disadvantaged backgrounds feel they truly fit into the sporting and fitness world. For women from lower-income households within marginalised communities – including Black women, South Asian Muslim women, expectant mothers, new mums with babies under 12 months, and women aged 55-74 – these feelings of being shut out are even more pronounced. This Girl Can is calling on women across the globe to redefine what being active looks like – by posting their unique ways of staying fit on social media using #ThisGirlCan and tagging This Girl Can. Whether it’s a living room stretch, a park kickabout or a swim with mates, every woman’s story helps demonstrate that there’s no single way to stay active. For more info visit https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/move..