The This Girl Can Sussex Network aims to inspire more women and girls to move more, and help break down the barriers that prevent so many from being physically active.
Join Active Sussex for an empowering and practical Lunch and Learn exploring how we can help women feel safer and more confident to be active during the darker months. Let’s Lift the Curfew: Helping Women Feel Safer to Be Active, an empowering and practical Lunch and Learn session taking place on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 12–1pm via Zoom. Discover the Let’s Lift the Curfew campaign, connect with partners and share experiences, good practice and ideas for creating meaningful change.
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2026 we held a virtual networking opportunity for partners across Sussex to come together, connect and support one another.
This session provided an opportunity to share what partners are working on, celebrating successes, discussing challenges, and exchanging good practice to help inspire more women and girls to be active.
This face-to-face Community of Learning event saw partners come together to support Sport England’s This Girl Can (TGC) summer campaign – Let’s Get Out There 2025.
The catch-up was a chance to highlight all of the exciting opportunities that already exist across a range of outdoor partners. The event took place on Monday, July 7 at 2pm at the Sussex Innovation Centre, and included an optional networking walk and talk.
You can read more about what took place here.
Active Sussex hosted a free webinar delivered by experts from EmPower Health to help improve knowledge of the menstrual cycle and impact on physical activity, and how to discuss this important topic in your settings.
The webinar was primarily aimed at Sussex schools PE Leads as part of the Schools Webinar Series, however other organisations were welcome to join as part of our TGC Sussex Network Community of Learning.
This learning session brought together male colleagues working in Sussex who are passionate about fostering empowerment and creating positive environments for women and girls in sport and physical activity, be that participating, volunteering or leading.
We were delighted to hear from three male working in the county, who highlighted the importance of being a male ally and some of the learning and initiatives they have undertaken, along with hearing form the women they work with.
Resources from the learning session are available on our Community of Learning hub.
Bringing together the TGC Sussex Network and Sussex Health Instructor Network, this session looked at what can impact the wellness of women and girls, with some reflection on themes we have covered in previous learning events.
We discussed and explored navigating the menstrual cycle and menopause, body changes (from breast health to pelvic floors) and related health conditions, through the sharing of lived experiences from local partners.
Six in 10 (60%) women surveyed being concerned about the risk of sexual harassment or intimidation when being active during the darker nights and with regards to supervised and non-supervised public facilities, 76% reported they had changed their behaviour as a result. These concerns contribute to an overall trend of women reportedly enjoying exercise less than men.
Women and girls deserve to get active as much as men and so we need to create safer environments, and stamp out harassment and intimidation so women and girls feel safe when being active indoors or outdoors.
This face-to-face learning session provided a space to discuss the research and what we can do to address systemic issues, promote awareness, and implement practices.
Resources from the learning session are available on our Community of Learning hub.
The last virtual forum of the year provided an opportunity for Active Sussex to highlight the national campaign and and our work/plans, as well as a space for partners to share what they have been doing over the last year, discuss plans for 2024 and any challenges that others could support them with.
Notes and links will be shared in due course.
Physical activity during pregnancy and after childbirth provides a range of physical and mental health benefits for women. However, despite the national guidelines, evidence suggests that up to 75% of women of childbearing age do not meet these recommendations.
This in-person session considered insight and physical activity behaviours of this audience, backed up by real life stories and provided an opportunity to share good practice examples, resources and training opportunities. We also used it as an opportunity to build relationships with partners to better understand the gaps and needs locally.
Resources from the learning session are available on our Community of Learning hub.
The lack of women in leadership and coaching roles in sport and physical activity is a significant issue that has received increased attention in recent years. Despite progress made in gender equality in sports, there remains a gender gap in leadership and coaching positions.
Therefore this session provided a platform to discuss how we can collectively increase female representation at all levels of the workforce in Sussex. We took a look at the headline insight from the recent Sporting Insights research ‘Tackling Inequality – The Voice of Women’ and were delighted to have several Sussex women share their coaching and leadership journeys, as well as hear thoughts from a male ally about what they are doing in this space.
Presentation – slide format (PDF)
Presentation – plain text version (PDF)
Sporting Insights: Voice of Women Working in Sport (Download from site)
Sporting Insights: Voice of Women Working in Sport – Advice list report March 2023
Recordings from the webinar can be watched via our YouTube channel – TGC Sussex Network Playlist
Please get in contact if you require documents in a different forum.
It’s been nearly two years since we launched the This Girl Can Sussex Network, so this virtual forum aims to provide an opportunity for the network to come together informally to connect and share with regards to getting women and girls active.
This Girl Can Sussex: Networking & Connecting slides and notes (PDF)
This session delivered as part of the Sussex Inclusive Sport & Physical Activity Conference hosted by the Sussex Disability Sports Network.
You can watch the recording here
This Girl Can: Coach, Play, Learn Slides (PDF)
Thoughts and reflections from attendees (PDF).
Sport needs to reframe the value it can bring to women throughout their lives. Be inspired by real women as we hear from This Girl Can Ambassadors and Champions, explore new research, and piece together recommendations for positive action in Sussex.
You can watch the recording here.
TGC Sussex Network Forum – Women Sporting Journeys (Active Sussex slides).
Womens Sporting Journeys: How to keep women engaged in sport throughout their lives (Handout).
Only 10% of girls aged 13 to 16 meet the CMO guidelines of 60 active minutes each day. What’s more, by the age of 17, when PE lessons are no longer provide a form of compulsory exercise, 64% of girls will stop doing any sport at all!
At this forum we discussed the issues, barriers and solutions to ensure that girls in the county have a positive experience of physical activity from a young age.
Following a presentation from the Youth Sport Trust with the latest insights, we discussed thoughts and ideas, and heard from women and girls about their experiences and successes.
You can watch/listen to to the online forum recording here.
TGC Sussex Network Forum – Getting Girls Active presentation.
42% of women and girls are classed as not being active enough for good health.
This event focused on the health and wellbeing benefits of physical activity, and how the This Girl Can movement can support the lives of those living with long-term conditions and mental health problems.
We heard from some of our Sussex Ambassador and Champions and through the sharing of key insight and best practice, attendees delved into the problems faced by women participating in sport and physical activities, as well as exploring the solutions too.
You can watch/listen to the online forum recording here.
TGC Network Forum – Women’s Wellbeing Presentation
The menopause is a significant change in a woman’s life and can often have a negative impact on a woman’s physical activity as a result.
This forum event provided an opportunity for partners to hear about the latest research from Women in Sport, take on board lived experiences and discover how sport and physical activity provision can and is supporting women’s physical and mental wellbeing during the menopause.
Event outcomes:
You can watch/listen to the online forum recording here.
Read the summary notes from the forum here.
The This Girl Can Sussex Network was officially launched as part of the Active Sussex Network, 25 February 2021.
The session explored some of the insight around women and girls participation and we heard first hand from some our new TGC Champions as to why they exercise and how they fit it into their busy lives. This Girl Can Sussex Ambassadors also offered some top tips for partners to consider when planning/promoting activity. Facilitated discussions provided an opportunity to consider how the new This Girl Can Sussex Network can respond to the needs of women and girls in Sussex, to support them on a journey to become more active.
Gemma is the organisation's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) lead, with responsibility for relationship management of key strategic stakeholders in relation to EDI, to support equal access and quality opportunities to physical activity in Sussex. She oversees the Sussex Disability Sports Network and the This Girl Can Sussex Network. In addition she is the Lead Adult Safeguarding Officer, Deputy CYP Safeguarding Officer and has oversight of the Sport Welfare Officer project in Sussex