Women's team support Nuffield Health Move Together initiative

Leeds Rhinos Women's players Tara Moxon and Evie Cousins will be joined by head coach Lois Forsell at an event with Nuffield Health to encourage young girls to be more active.

Research released by Nuffield Health reveals that 64% of people in Yorkshire state a lack of motivation is the key barrier to exercise, whilst almost half of people (48%) say it is the cost. 

62% of those surveyed from the Yorkshire area also reported a lack of time due to work being a barrier to being physically active, with 46% of people in the area reporting that they find gyms intimidating. Alongside this, 3 in 10 (30%) also state how they find it hard to motivate themselves to exercise in general.

This data, which was unveiled as part of Nuffield Health’s Healthier Nation Index – a survey of 8,000 UK adults – has highlighted these staggering statistics in the local area, as well as the impact on the nation has a whole.

Delving deeper into who this is impacting the most, further research by the Charity revealed a lack of physical activity is affecting teenage girls, with almost one in five (17%) say they don’t like P.E. in school. These attitudes towards exercise highlight the urgent need to encourage women’s participation in fitness from a young age.

Despite this, the girls surveyed have a clear understanding of the benefits of sport and fitness, with 40% saying they have fun when taking part in activities and almost one-third (32%) know it has a positive impact on their mental health. Girls also have a desire to be good at sport and fitness and 16% admit to being jealous of peers who excel in the area.

In response to this data from those in the local area, Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, has launched Move Together to get 11–16-year-old girls from Yorkshire, and across the nation, moving and more physically active. The free programme is available in communities across the UK all year round and aim to tackle the barriers that young girls face when it comes to exercise and fitness.

Lois Forsell, Head Coach of the Rhinos Women's Team and former England International, who is supporting Nuffield Health’s Move Together initiative, comments: "To see that such a high percentage of people in Yorkshire are experiencing barriers to fitness, especially for young girls, is alarming. The findings highlight that we need to take action - not only tackling these in our local community, but also on a nationwide scale.

“Initiatives such as ‘Move Together’ are a great way to re-engage with physical activity whilst also building on confidence and social connections from a young age. For me personally and the work I deliver with Leeds Rhinos Foundation, I’m always keen to see more young girls get into sport and general exercise, not only to reap the benefits from a  physical health perspective but mental health, too.”

Vicky Fitzgerald, Health Improvement Lead at Nuffield Health said: “We aim to get young girls from all backgrounds moving and loving exercise in safe and confidence-boosting environments outside of the school curriculum. If we don’t start knocking down the barriers faced by so many young girls now, we run the risk of this continuing into their adult lives, which will have a negative impact on both their physical and mental health and their relationship with exercise.

We’ve found that a lack of motivation, “gymtimidation” and costs are some of the key barriers to fitness in the Yorkshire area, which is why we’re excited to be able to bring Move Together to this community with the aim to directly tackle these barriers.”

Hosted in local parks and community venues and run by Nuffield Health fitness instructors in the local community, the specially designed free classes aim to build girls’ strength, confidence and get them moving. It’s also the perfect opportunity to have fun and make new friends in a safe and secure environment.

For more information on Move Together, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/movetogether