HOT on the heels of the Lionesses Euro victory, a gym chain with branches in Reading and Wokingham has launched free exercise classes for children aged 11 to 16.
Nuffield Health says that despite the spur from the winning football team, just 12% of girls and 27% of boys are planning to play sport during the summer.
The Move Together programme from Nuffield aims to help, by providing a safe, confidence-boosting environment for children. Classes are held weekly.
Hosted in local parks and community hubs near Nuffield Health centres, there are a range of disciplines including boxing, pilates, yoga, dance, Zumba and circuits.
Davina Deniszczyc, charity and medical director at Nuffield Health, said: “Recent research by Nuffield Health found that almost half of British women don’t do any vigorous exercise, and this new data shows this problem often starts in girls’ teenage years, with many reporting multiple barriers to physical activity.
“If we don’t start knocking these down, we run the risk of this continuing into their adult lives, negatively impacting on both their physical and mental health.
“The recent Lionesses’ victory has supercharged an interest in women’s sport and will serve as an inspiration to girls all over the country for years to come, and we need to ensure this legacy is not lost.
To book, parents and guardians can log on to: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/move-together, or visit the Nuffield Health centre in Green Park in Reading or Denmark Street in Wokingham.