A SCHOOL is calling on the people of Bolton to support a project which encourages girls to get fit and active.

Bolton St Catherine's Academy has signed them up to a local gym in a bid to get more girls involved in sport and exercise.

The school is hoping local people will help it tackle the problem of paying for the girls' membership, as being in full time education makes it unaffordable.

Around a dozen girls are now members of Leverhulme Park Leisure Centre for six months at a cost of £60, giving them full access including at weekends.

Sarah Rushton, head of sport and community, at the school, said: "We read a report from Women in Sport that highlighted the fact that only seven per cent of girls currently meet the government recommendations for physical activity and wanted to do something about reversing the trend for our sixth form girls.

"We spoke to students to find out what they actually wanted to do and tailor made our programme of activities to suit them.

"In our sixth form now 35 per cent of students now meet the government recommendations and feedback from them tells us how much it has changed their lives for the better."

She added: "Having asked our girls we found that most of them did not participate in any sport, which then leads to potential health problems later in life. One of the barriers was access to the right types of activity at a time that suited them, with their friends, something which our partner Street Games, through an initiative called Club 1, have been able to help us to provide — that is sport in communities that takes place at the right time, at the right place, in the right style and at the right price.

"This Street Games Club 1 campaign will enable us to use our local gym so that our girls can use it at a time that suits them and it also allows them to meet their friends there and keep fit together.”

Now to ensure they continued success of the project, the school has set up a crowdfunding page to raise £2,000, which will extend the gym membership after the initial six month period.

Hundreds of pounds have already been pledged. Miss Rushton said: "By agreeing to help people are investing in empowering today’s young women — its about ‘being fit not thin’."

Leah Higham, year 13 student, said: “I go because it’s close to home —I manage to go three times a week and can go with my friends but more recently I have felt confident enough to go on my own”

Fellow sixth-former Shannon Dootson added: “I go because I want to be healthy. I feel better in myself and I enjoy going on my own — it has definitely developed my confidence. I can see me continuing this throughout my life as I have been surprised at how much I enjoy it.”

To help and for more information, click here