The programme will see 200 SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs 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

The new SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs offered by Gloucestershire FA will be taking place at:
• GLOUCESTER - GL1 Leisure Centre, GL1 1DT / Starts Sunday 19th March / 10am – 11am

        GL1 Leisure Centre – Mo Patel (moweava@gmail.com) or Vicky Clayson Vickyclayson@outlook.com

• TEWKESBURY - Tewkesbury School, GL20 8DF / Starts Monday 20th March / 6pm – 7pm

        Tewkesbury Town Colts - chrismartin60@hotmail.co.uk

• CIRENCESTER - Cotswold Leisure Centre, GL7 1US / Starts Monday 20th March / 5pm – 6pm

        Cotswold Leisure Centre – 01285 654057 or Scott Burry 07974792245 or scottburry@everyoneactive.com

• STROUD – Inside Football, GL5 2QQ / Starts Thursday 23rd March / 4pm – 5pm

        Inside Football – Alexis.Lunn-Gadd@GloucestershireFA.com or 01454-615888

• SOUTH GLOS – Gloucestershire FA, BS32 4AG / Starts Thursday 23rd March / 4pm – 5pm

        Gloucestershire FA – Alexis.Lunn-Gadd@GloucestershireFA.com or 01454-615888

• BRISTOL – Horfield Leisure Centre, BS7 0XW / Starts Friday 24th March / 5pm – 6pm

        Horfield Leisure Centre - development@bicadc.co.uk

The SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs 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 fitness sessions, such as Soccercise and Walking Football at the same time as the girls.

For details of how girls can sign-up to join a club, please email Support@GloucestershireFA.com or telephone Gloucestershire FA Women’s and Girls’ Development Officer, Alexis Lunn-Gadd, on 01454- 615888. 

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.”

Gloucestershire FA CEO, David Neale, said: “We are delighted to be able to deliver 6 flagship SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs, giving girls from 5-11 the opportunity to participate in football, perhaps for the first time.”

Gloucestershire FA’s Women’s and Girls’ FDO, Alexis Lunn-Gadd, added: “We have ensured that our Clubs are spread across the County to allow girls easy access to the opportunity most local to them. Each Centre will look to engage a minimum of 30 girls during the 16-20 week programme with further opportunities to take part in grassroots football through a local Charter Standard Club afterwards. There will also be a Euro 2017 festival for all SSE Wildcat Girls’ Football Clubs in July/August to celebrate the England Women’s Team (Lionesses) involvement in the European Championships this summer.