Active Suffolk has joined forces with instructors, partners and local This Girl Can ambassadors to deliver a week of free online activity for women from 18–22 January 2021.

It is after reports published by Sport England suggest that over the last 7 months, the number of women doing 30 minutes of physical activity five days per week or more has fallen by a staggering 12%, with only 23% of women across the UK now participating in this level of exercise.

Although physical activity levels amongst the entire adult population in England has declined due to the pandemic, the sharp drop in activity levels in women compared to men is significant, further widening the gap and resulting in fewer females participating in regular physical activity and sport.

Laura Beale, from Active Suffolk, said “It is clear to see that the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the number of women across the country participating in regular physical activity.

Research suggests that there are several reasons for this and with the start of the third lockdown our online event comes at a time when support, motivation and encouragement will be needed more than ever.

We have been pleased to receive such a high level of interest and support, and we are excited to offer five days of free online activities to women in Suffolk.”

The team at Active Suffolk, who lead on the local This Girl Can campaign, a reputable Sport England initiative, have over 50 local ambassadors who volunteer to inspire, motivate and support local women and girls to be more physically active and participate in sport, regardless of their age, ability, background and size.

Amongst the schedule of events is local This Girl Can ambassador Sue Tetley, who will be sharing her inspirational story of how physical activity helped her to improve her mental health during challenging times in her life. In addition, fellow ambassador and local Zumba instructor Sarah Ann Gray, will be delivering an inclusive Zumba Gold session.

Sarah said “Whilst we continue to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, my main concern right now is keeping our local communities active & that includes our older adults.

I’m so grateful for online platforms enabling us to deliver classes. This also means those who are isolating, or shielding can still join in at home too.

As part of the This Girl Can Activity Week in January, I’ll be delivering Zumba Gold. This is the low-impact version of the traditional Latin inspired cardio dance fitness party! It is perfect for older adults or anyone simply looking for an easier paced Zumba class.”

The five-day event brings a huge variety of activity which women can try from the comfort of their own home, ranging from seated Pilates to high-intensity interval training, there will be something for everyone.

Whether you are new to physical activity, need extra motivation or want to try something new, the This Girl Can Suffolk team urges you to get involved.

For full details of the five-day event and to book your place on one or more of the sessions visit www.activesuffolk.org/tgcevents