The programme will see 200 SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centres opening throughout England this spring, each run in conjunction with the local County FA and their key partners.   The move will provide girls aged from 5 to 11 with regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun, engaging and safe environment over a minimum 16 week period.

The project is an integral part of The FA’s objective to double girls’ football participation by 2020 and has been established in a joint partnership between The FA and SSE, supporters of girls’ football participation and sponsor of the SSE Women’s FA Cup

• Ledbury Primary School, Ledbury (in partnership with Ledbury Swifts)
• Lady Hawkins High School, Kington (in partnership with Kington Town)

The SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centres will run in the spring and through to the summer on a weekly basis, either at weekends, after school or during the evening.  Parents and carers who attend with the girls will also have the optional opportunity to take part in football-related sessions at the same time as the girls.

For details of how girls can sign-up to join the centres please contact Joe Mathias on Joe.Mathias@HerefordshireFA.com or 01432 342179

John Stewart, SSE’s Director of Human Resources, said: “We’re delighted to support The FA in setting up these centres, helping to deliver high quality coaching sessions across the country to the next generation of female footballers.”

“At SSE we are extremely proud to be a fundamental part of supporting the grassroots game. This is a key reason for our sponsorship of the SSE Women’s FA Cup, not only are we focussed on achieving greater awareness of the sport at an elite level, equally as important we are creating more opportunities and relentlessly encouraging more girls to get involved in football.”

Herefordshire FA CEO Jim Lambert, said: “To be able to set up two girls’ mini-soccer centres in Herefordshire with the support of The FA is a positive step.

Herefordshire FA is committed to supporting the female game and we see this as one of the first phases in achieving our aim of doubling participation in the next four years.”  

The centres will provide a huge boost to the existing girls’ football provision in Herefordshire by introducing new players to the beautiful game. There are currently over 30 girls’ teams in Herefordshire and the SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Centres will help support and establish new teams in underrepresented age groups and areas of the county.

For more information on girls’ football opportunities and clubs in your area please contact Joe.Mathias@HerefordshireFA.com