From isolation to inclusion: how Cardiff Dynamos Badminton Club is helping women overcome cultural and social barriers

11/07/2025

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From isolation to inclusion: how Cardiff Dynamos Badminton Club is helping women overcome cultural and social barriers

Last year, Ismatara, a 39-year-old community worker for Mind living in Grangetown approached Cardiff Dynamos Badminton Club. She had one request. To have female-only sessions for women from diverse backgrounds.

She knew firsthand the challenges women from ethnic minorities face when trying to be more active. From social anxiety and language barriers to cultural restrictions.

A community club that listens

But Cardiff Dynamos welcomed the idea with open arms.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery via Sport Wales, the club created a safe, welcoming space. At the club, women from neighbourhoods like Ely, Caerau, Riverside, and Canton come together weekly to play badminton and build friendships.

Why are female-only spaces important? For Muslim women, in particular, having female-only sessions is essential, especially when it comes to removing their hijab during exercise.

Here’s why female only spaces are important:

Religious reasons
To feel comfortable and confident
To feel safe
Specific for women’s needs

For many of the women attending, it’s the first time they’ve ever played a sport.

Speaking to the women at the badminton sessions, they all had a story to tell. Many women don’t leave the house very often. They face language barriers, they don’t feel confident, or they have mental health issues. To see them enjoying sport -some of them for the first time -was wonderful to see and we thank the National Lottery and Sport Wales for their help.

Ismatara, member

With support from National Lottery funding, Cardiff Dynamos invested in rackets, shuttlecocks, coaching, and venue hire at the Sport Wales National Centre in Sophia Gardens ensuring no woman is left behind due to cost or access.

Easing pain and making friends for Ismatara

Ismatara, who lives with the widespread pain caused by fibromyalgia, the sessions have been transformative, and not just physically.

She explains, “As a Muslim woman, it can be difficult to be active. There are lots of limitations as there aren’t many strictly women-only spaces where we can feel comfortable to remove our hijab when exercising, Cardiff Dynamos has creating something really special – this isn’t just a badminton club, it’s a safe haven where women from all backgrounds can come together, be themselves, and feel empowered to get active.”

For her, these weekly sessions have been a chance to reconnect with a sport she loved as a child, meet new people, and invest in her health.

Making a difference across Cardiff

Through inclusive coaching and a supportive environment, Cardiff Dynamos Badminton Club is proving that sport can unite communities, overcome cultural barriers, and empower women to take the lead in their own health and wellbeing.

Does your club have great ideas for creating inclusive opportunities for women and girls in sport? Find out how the Be Active Wales Fund could help.

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