Grassroots sports clubs across Wales are creating welcoming environments where women and girls can thrive.
Research shows that 94% of girls aged 7–16 want to do more sport—a clear signal that the appetite is there if the opportunity is right.
Thanks to National Lottery players and support through Sport Wales’ Be Active Wales Fund, local clubs are stepping up to meet this demand.
Here are some of the inspiring clubs helping to lead the way.
In Bridgend, Coity Chiefs is a girls-only football club offering a safe, supportive space for young players to enjoy the game, build friendships and grow their confidence. The club is part of the growing wave in women’s and girls’ football, with participation in Wales up 45% since 2021.
A £7,471 grant in 2023 from the National Lottery, via Sport Wales, helped them purchase footballs, goals, bibs, first aid supplies, and coach training courses.
The girls that come feel like they belong here, they can freely express themselves, develop their skills, build friendships and be themselves without the presence of gender related pressures or stereotypes.
In Merthyr Tydfil, Sole Mate is a social running group where mental health, friendship, and freedom come before medals or finish times. Women make up 75% of runners, drawn to the group’s sense of community and safety.
A £620 grant from the National Lottery, awarded by Sport Wales, helped train new run leaders to grow the group and offer more inclusive, guided sessions for women who might not otherwise feel safe exercising outdoors alone.
Safety remains a concern for many women: 25% of women say they worry about leaving home to exercise, compared with just 16% of men. (Wales Activity Tracker, April 2025)
Discover how Sole Mate is making running safer and more social for women in Merthyr Tydfil.
The women in the group feel so much safer in a group and, if it were not for Sole Mate, we might not otherwise be able to run.
Back in 2018, only 5% of members at Ynys Mon Squash Club were women. Today, that number has grown to nearly 40%, and in junior sessions, girls now outnumber boys.
When 16-year-old Rhian Jones first joined the club, she was the only girl at training. Now, not only does she play but she even officiates men’s league games as a qualified referee.
See how Ynys Mon Squash Club is inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
It’s brilliant to see more women and girls involved in squash as it has really helped me build my confidence levels. Being involved in the sport and becoming a referee has helped me be more vocal, which is really useful at college.
In Newport, local charity KidCare4U is helping women from diverse communities feel confident in the water through culturally sensitive, women-only swim sessions.
With a £4,700 grant from the Be Active Wales Fund, the project covers pool hire costs, removing financial and cultural barriers to help more women get active, safely and comfortably.
Since launching in September 2024, over 150 women have been taking part, boosting their physical and mental wellbeing, and finding joy in movement again.
Read more about how KidCare4U is helping women reclaim space, confidence and community.
Before we started, there weren’t any women-only sessions so we didn’t feel comfortable enough to swim. Sometimes, the pools have big open windows so that parents can watch their children but we are Muslim which means we need to be in a women-only environment.
In Cardiff, Cardiff Dynamos Badminton Club is creating a safe, welcoming space for women from diverse communities to get active, build friendships and boost their wellbeing.
With support from the National Lottery via Sport Wales, the club launched female-only sessions to help women overcome cultural and social barriers such as language, confidence and religious needs.
Funding helped cover venue hire, coaching, rackets and shuttlecocks ensuring no woman is left behind due to cost or access.
Does your club have great ideas for getting more women and girls involved in sport? Find out how the Be Active Wales Fund could help.