McDonald's funds new Friday night sports sessions in Levenmouth just for girls

Funded by McDonald’s Leven, which is partnering Game on Scotland and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's (CRT), ‘Game on Girls’ is open to 12-17 year-olds, offering them somewhere new to go to stay active, have fun and try out sports and recreational games.

The sessions take place every Friday night and provide the opportunity to take part in an array of activities, including football, badminton and basketball, as well as a safe area to simply relax and chat.

The free sessions started at the beginning of the month and will continue each Friday night between 7pm-9pm at Levenmouth Academy, until further notice.

The ‘turn up and play’ theme of the session allows young women to see what bits of the session they enjoy most without being tied to a commitment.

Each session is also attended by police officers and support workers to offer security and support, plus qualified coaches.

The new girls-only event has launched following the success of the existing boys’ clubs, as well as ‘Football 5ives’, which offers sport and recreational games for all young people.

Although playing separately, the girls’ club runs at the same time as the boys in the sports hall next to the pitch, creating a full sense of community in the facility.

As well as fully funding the girls’ activities, McDonald’s Leven gifted branded uniform and sports bags to the boys’ ‘Game on Scotland’ team, with financial support from the McDonald’s UK Match Fund scheme.

William Patrick, McDonald’s Leven operations manager, who met the coaches, CRT trustees, police officers and local councillor Colin Davidson when handing over kit for the girls, said ‘Game on Girls’ was an exciting initiative.

“It is so important to provide our young people with a safe place to have fun and we hope that the girls-only activities will encourage more young females to feel comfortable starting something new or doing what they already love,” he said.

"We want to do all we can to help give everyone access to sporting facilities, by helping to provide free sessions like this, as well as equipment and training kit.”

Game On Scotland – a Sports for Change Programme – works towards improving health, employability and skills in ex-mining communities as part of the Coalfield Regeneration Trust.

Giving young people a free space to make friends, stay fit and ‘blow off’ steam, the sessions are part of a wider initiative to engage local communities in Scotland through group-based activities, aiming to help young people build teamwork and celebrate each other’s wins.

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