ACTIVE Essex will reveal their new This Girl Can Essex campaign ambassadors at a launch event in Basildon.

This Girl Can is a national campaign developed by Sport England to inspire more women and girls to be physically active, regardless of their size, ability or previous experience.

The Active Essex team has localised the campaign with the aim of encouraging the 60.8 percent of females in the county who do not currently take part in any sport or physical activity, to try something new. The This Girl Can Essex ambassadors are local female advocates who will act as campaign champions to inspire women and girls across Essex.

Gary Sullivan OBE, Chair of Active Essex, said: “This Girl Can Essex is an exciting way of celebrating active women across the county and inspiring those that may be hesitant to try physical activity for the first time.

“The campaign is focused on empowering all women and showing them how fun and enjoyable sport and physical activity can be; by concentrating the campaign specifically on Essex, we’re also able to highlight the varied opportunities available for women to get involved with locally.”

Councillor Joanne Beavis, Braintree District Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities and Rachel Laybourne, Team GB Olympic volleyball player, will also attend the launch event to present speeches in support of women’s health and fitness.

Councillor Ray Gooding, Essex County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Sport and Physical Activity, said: “This Girl Can Essex not only aims to encourage women to take up sport and physical activity, it aims to explore the barriers that may exist to prevent them taking part in the first place.

“Nationally, women’s participation in sport is on the increase and results from the latest Active People survey show that 2.8 million 14-40 year-olds2 who recognised the This Girl Can campaign last year took up an activity as a result, with 1.6 million trying exercise for the first time.

“Sport and physical activity can be hugely rewarding and we want to inspire and celebrate women in Essex who are either trying an activity for the first time, or continuing with something they enjoy, no matter how they do it, how they look when they do it and without fear of judgement."

Ambassador profiles will be available on the Active Essex website from Thursday, 14 April and media are invited to take part in photo opportunities at the launch event.