This Thursday, an original (and free!) lunch-time exercise class is being staged outside the M&S store on Northumberland Street to attract passing Newcastle shoppers to keep fit!
It’s been exactly one-year since Sport England launched its nationwide, ‘This Girl Can’ campaign to try and encourage more women to become active across the country. Twelve-months on, the campaign can reveal that 2.8 million 14-40 year old women who recognise the campaign say they’ve done some or more activity as a result.
This Thursday (21st January at 12:30pm), local women are being invited to take part in a free lunchtime exercise class in front of M&S on the city’s vibrant Northumberland Street to celebrate being active!
Active Newcastle, a City Council initiative to get residents to become more physically active, has enlisted over 200 local women to champion the ethos – all since the ‘This Girl Can’ campaign launched.
M&S has also recently launched a new ‘This Girl Can’ range of activewear as part of its role as official partner to the campaign and is donating 8% of all sales to Sport England to help fund projects that help women be more active.
It is estimated that 1.73 million fewer women than men take part in sport and physical activity across the country. ’This Girl Can’ seeks to address this gender gap.
The campaign has highlighted that a fear of judgement is often a key barrier to women taking part in exercise. Newcastle women have been getting active and even posting selfies of themselves to encourage others to join them.
In Newcastle, women’s physical activity is below the national average, which brings with it some worrying health trends. They have a lower life expectancy than both the regional and national average and a significantly higher rate of cardio vascular disease.
Cllr, Jane Streather, Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for public health and housing, said: “We are always keen to help support campaigns like This Girl Can that bring to the public’s attention the importance of pursuing a healthier lifestyle and the benefits that people can gain from regular exercise.
“I hope that people use this fun sporting event to kickstart something that could turn into a life changing experience. It is really empowering how local women in Newcastle have embraced the campaign; and how they have become ambassadors to encourage more people to join the fitness drive. This importantly is a factor being recognised on a national platform.”
Tanya Joseph, Director of the This Girl Can campaign at Sport England said: “The response to This Girl Can has been phenomenal, and so many women continually ask us if we can release a wider range of This Girl Can clothing. So we’re delighted to be able to do just that, with products that will help women feel comfortable and confident when exercising – something we know is important.
“We hope people love the range as much as we do, and I for one can’t wait to see women wearing their This Girl Can attitude with pride.”
Nikki McKidd, Store Manager at M&S Newcastle, which stocks the new ‘This Girl Can’ activewear range, said: “The ‘This Girl Can’ pop-up fitness class will be a great way to get warm in the cold January weather. It also offers a fantastic opportunity to those looking to kick-start their new fitness regime and meet like-minded people.
“We hope the event and the new M&S ‘This Girl Can’ activewear range will inspire our local customers to get involved with the campaign.”
If the women of Newcastle would like to get involved with the local “This Girl Can” campaign then please come along to Northumberland Street this Thursday at 12.30pm, where the Active Newcastle team will be celebrating the campaign, as well as the regional launch of the M&S activewear range.
The team would like local women to come along and join in the class and find out how to get more active in Newcastle. Further information will also be available in M&S.
For additional information about how local people can get active please contact Kerry Nesbitt at Newcastle City Council by calling 0191 278 3331 or emailing kerry.nesbitt@newcastle.gov.uk
Alternatively please visit the Sport England website www.sportengland.org/our-work/