North Northumberland girls face smallest sport gap in North East

Where a girl lives shapes how much sport she plays compared with boys, according to new research from Public First commissioned by Sky, revealing stark inequalities in participation across the UK.

As National Fitness Day (September 16) shines a spotlight on the importance of getting active, research has shown that North Northumberland has the smallest girls' sports participation gap in the North East.

Compared to a regional average of 121 minutes and UK average of 84 minutes, girls in the area miss out 81 minutes of sport a week compared with boys.

The findings shine a light on the barriers preventing girls from being active and the opportunity to create more equal access to sport across the country.

Sky's research estimates that closing the gap could generate £570 million in annual productivity gains and save the NHS £73 million a year, and the North East could unlock almost £15 million in benefits by levelling the playing field.

Sky’s Chief Sports Officer UK & Ireland, Jonathan Licht, said: “Every girl should have the opportunity to experience the confidence, friendships and sense of belonging that sport can bring.

"Yet too many girls are still missing out, and this research shows the barriers they face are not the same everywhere.

“Closing the gap means tackling inequalities in access and investment, starting in publicly funded settings where opportunity should be equal for every girl.

"Now is the moment to turn evidence into action and deliver lasting change for girls across the country.”