61 secondary school girls from 3 schools took part in Strong In Sport, a day of sport, health and confidence delivered by Worcester City Women FC in the Community CIC and Worcester Warriors Foundation.
On Wednesday 4 November, Sixways Stadium welcomed girls from Years 7 to 11 for a day built around four themes: Move, Understand, Believe and Inspire. Across the day they got involved with rugby and football, took part in workshops on women's health and confidence, and heard from women who have built careers they love in sport.
The aim was simple: to help girls feel more confident in themselves, their bodies and their abilities, and to build a positive relationship with sport that lasts.
A day of sport, health and inspiration
The day ran in two sessions, so every girl got to take part in both the sport and the workshops. While one group was out on the Sixways pitch for rugby and football, the other moved through a programme of talks and workshops, before the two groups swapped after lunch.
On the pitch, Worcester City Women FC (WCWFC) coaches Matt Lock and Katie Heath led the football, while Worcester Warriors Foundation coach Matt Cowdrey led the tag rugby. The sessions were designed for every level of experience, with the focus on having fun, working as a team and giving something new a go.
Matt Cowdrey, Worcester Warriors Foundation coach, said: "The Strong In Sport event was a huge success! It was great to see so many girls taking part in meaningful sport and exercise at Sixways Stadium. As our first ever event in collaboration with Worcester City Women, it was great! The education sessions were great and the sport was amazing."
In the workshops, Martha Silcott and Rachel Buwalda from FabLittleBag ran a hands-on, interactive session all about periods and sport. They kicked off with the basics: how the menstrual cycle works and how it can affect energy and performance. Next up were period products: what's out there, the latest innovations, and which work best for different activities. And, of course, the golden rule: never flush a used period product down the loo! Martha and Rachel showed the girls how to put used products into a FabLittleBag so they can be disposed of discreetly and hygienically, bin or no bin.
Then it was time for a relay game. Working in teams, the girls tackled scenarios that women and girls really do face in sport, deciding which products they'd use while on their period. These ranged from a venue with no proper girls' toilets to a swimming gala, a tournament day and a long cross-country run, and every scenario finished with practical tips for managing a period while taking part.
Martha Silcott, Founder of FabLittleBag, said: "Breaking down barriers always feels good! Last week we gave a workshop to 61 sporty schoolgirls all about periods and sport, and the energy was insane! Even in 2026, girls struggle to manage periods while playing sport due to a lack of provision and horrible or non-existent female loos. Periods must not be a barrier to participation in sport, and that's what we are fighting for."
It's a real problem. Lots of girls miss PE and sport when they're on their period, and over time that can lead to them dropping out of sport altogether.
Rachel Buwalda, Marketing & Strategy at FabLittleBag, added: "A period should never be the reason a girl misses a PE lesson, training session or match. Too many girls drop out of sport because they're worried about leaks, cramps and the embarrassment of asking a PE teacher or coach if they can leave the session to deal with their period. It's too important an issue to let go: if a girl drops out of sport as a teenager, she misses the benefits of a lifelong active lifestyle. Events like this, backed by sustained support from a committed club, help to address the many issues girls face in sport, which hopefully leads to a generation of girls who don't drop out."
Lisa Moses of Lisa Moses Therapy led a mental health workshop on confidence and mindset, exploring how the brain works and sharing practical tools to help the girls manage nerves, self-doubt and the fear of being judged.
Lisa said: "Delivering a mental health workshop at Strong In Sport was a real pleasure. The girls were engaged, receptive and eager to learn how the brain works and how fear, anxiety and overthinking can affect us both in life and sport. I've also received lovely feedback from parents about how much their daughters enjoyed the day. A huge well done and thank you to everyone involved – I would highly recommend attending future events!"
The girls also heard from two inspiring women about their own journeys. Emily, an engineer at Worcester Bosch, spoke about her career in a field where women are still underrepresented, and Zoe from ZB People shared the path that led her to become a people coach.
Each session finished with our Women in Sport quiz. Teams put their knowledge to the test on trailblazers including Lily Parr and Kathrine Switzer, and many were surprised to learn that women's football drew crowds of 53,000 more than a century ago, before the FA's ban in 1921.
What it meant
"“We wanted Strong in Sport to be about more than just playing sport. It was about giving girls the opportunity to learn, try new things and, most importantly, leave feeling more confident, inspired and empowered. Creating opportunities like this for the next generation of girls is something I'm really passionate about.”" said Cerys Dolloway, Community Engagement Manager and first team player.
A teacher who attended with their pupils said: "The girls had such a good day at the Strong In Sport event. They thoroughly enjoyed the rugby and football sessions and said that it made them feel empowered and proud to be a female athlete. The workshop enabled them to be pushed outside of their comfort zone but in doing so allowed them to meet new people and have fun."
Thank you
Strong In Sport would not have been possible without our partners. A huge thank you to Worcester Warriors Foundation, FabLittleBag, Lisa Moses Therapy, Worcester Bosch and ZB People, and to all the schools, staff, coaches and volunteers who made the day such a success.
Thank you to Flotography for capturing photos during the day.
-ENDS-
Worcester City Women FC is an independent, female-owned club competing in Tier 4 of the FA Women's National League and is the league's Community Club of the Year in 2026.
To find out more about Worcester City Women FC, including how to buy matchday tickets, visit www.wcwfc.co.uk.
Worcester Warriors Foundation exists to help improve the lives of people who struggle with mental and physical disabilities. For more information visit www.worcesterwarriorsfoundation.org
Further contacts: wcwfcinthecommunity@wcwfc.co.uk
