14/04/26 – Girls and Young Women in Sport & Physical Activity

CPG on a Fit and Healthy Childhood - Documents and Links, CPG on a Fit and Healthy Childhood - Meeting Notes

This will be a hybrid meeting with five speakers addressing the group – see below for more information.

14 April 2026 1400-1500 Room P, Portcullis House and online

Cross-Party Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood

‘Girls and Young Women in Sport & Physical Activity’

Chair: Anna Sabine MP

Speakers:

  • Dr Vanessa King AFPE – Association for Physical Education
  • Susannah Walker – In Her Place
  • Prof Karen Cooke – Programme Leader – Childhood and Youth Studies- UCEN Manchester
  • Lisa West – Head of Partnerships, Policy and Public Affairs, Women in Sport
  • Dr Nicola Brown and Kate Lawson – St Mary’s University, ‘Treasure your Chest’ Initiative

In 2024, the Cross-Party Group published a report: ‘Fair Play for Girls’ kindly sponsored by the University of Football Business in which we confronted many of the barriers to being freely active encountered by girls and young women and made some recommendations. With a new Government, a female Minister for Sport and a female Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Sport and Digital, now is the time to empower girls in sport and physical activity. For the policymakers, is it a case of ‘could – and should – do better?’ Come and tell us what you think.

The meeting will be hybrid, with options to join in person or online. We are hoping that a recording of the meeting may also be available.