LOTS of men love sport – but there are concerns that women do not get as involved as much as they should.

Now young women are being offered the chance to take part in girls-only sport sessions at Cutteslowe Community Centre.

The weekly Girls’ Night Out (GNO) sessions, organised as part of Oxford City Council’s Youth Ambition Programme, started yesterday and offer girls activities such as Zumba, netball, boxercise and trips to Ferry Leisure Centre in Oxford.

Organiser Jemma Cooper said: “The GNO in Cutteslowe was set up recently for 15 to 21-year-olds. We felt that most sessions we set up are male-dominated, so felt it was important that girls got time to be active, too.

“The session incorporates things like netball, dodgeball, street dance, Zumba and the girls also have the opportunity to use Ferry Leisure Centre for things like swimming.”

The sessions at the Wren Road centre cost £1 and run on Mondays from 4p-6.30pm.

Girls-only sport sessions started in Barton in November last year.

City council community sports team leader Courtney Warden said: “There’s been research into how much women and girls partake in sport.

“In school, they have to get changed in front of other people, which they don’t like.

“By putting on this girls-only session, we can develop activities that the girls want to do and feel comfortable doing.

“It’s about providing fun sporting opportunities and helping them to become more well-rounded people.”

Steve Curran, board member for youth and communities, said: “It’s not unique for sports sessions to be male-dominated.

“However, we believe it is important to give opportunities to young women in as many situations as we can.

“This opportunity in Cutteslowe is an important step to achieving parity.”

  • For more information, call 01865 252729.