University News Last updated 25 October 2023
More than 2,000 girls from some of the most deprived areas of Birmingham have been encouraged to take up football by a PhD student from Birmingham City University (BCU).
Hannah Reed has only been running the pathway for a year, but her work has been so valuable and transformative that it has earned the researcher a prestigious national award.
Hannah successfully implemented the Barclays Girls Football Partnerships (BGFP) at Hall Green Secondary School Birmingham, an initiative that supports the development and promotion of football to young girls.
“We are all proud to be making such a difference in the lives of all young people and in particular giving these young girls the chance to play football,” said Hannah.
In recognition of her work, Barclays presented Hannah with the ‘Outstanding Use of Programmes, Competitions and Events’ Award.
The awards ceremony took place at the home of English football, St George's Park, and was hosted by broadcasting legend Clare Balding.
A recent survey conducted by the Youth Sport Trust found fewer than two in three (64%) female pupils surveyed said they liked taking part in physical education (PE) compared to 86% of male pupils.
The Barclays Girls Football School Partnerships therefore supports a designated person to work within a school, developing and promoting football to young girls both during the curriculum and beyond; ensuring they have equal access to the sport.
Senior Lecturer in Physical Education at BCU and Hannah’s director of studies, Dr Irfan Khawaja believes everyone is entitled to “benefit” from opportunities to “engage” in physical activity.
BCU sports students supported Hannah in running the programme at Hall Green, enabling them to develop their skills working with young people, alongside their studies.
“I am so proud of Hannah and our undergraduate students for implementing our inclusive approach to education, which aligns with the University’s Access and Participation Plan.”
The Hall Green School partnership, managed by Hannah, supports the school and its pupils, who live in an area of deprivation where opportunities to participate in sports activities are limited.
Image: Pictured (left to right) Jim Morris, Youth Sport Trust National Development Manager, BCU PhD student Hannah Reed, Clare Balding, and Hannah’s colleagues Helen Tonks and Joe Kelly.