Sport England / This Girl Can

Fighting back against ‘The Enjoyment Gap’

Beat the Barriers

The challenge

2.4 million fewer women than men enjoy getting active. This Girl Can coined this ‘the Enjoyment Gap’, and they wanted to close it.

The Insight

We uncovered the extent of the barriers preventing women getting active in 2023 – emotional, practical and structural – and realised the answer to closing the Gap lies in society. If we all work together, we have the power to seriously shift the dial.

Watch the case study

The Solution to create Change

We asked women what their thoughts and concerns were when exercising, then turned those into an interactive boxing experience with Olympic Gold Medallist Nicola Adams. Hosted at Westfield Stratford, passers-by were invited to take out their frustrations on the issues and challenges holding women back, illustrating the boxing gloves with these action areas: ‘Make it... Safe’, ‘Suitable’, ’Social’ and ‘Self-Affirming’.

Impact

104m

Total potential reach, with a massive 98% of coverage mentioning ‘The Enjoyment Gap’

422

pieces of media coverage – 23 in national media – and 83 broadcast hits

Awards and Coverage

The campaign was highly commended in the PR category at the Drum Social Purpose Awards. It was also nominated twice at the Drum PR Awards and for a PR Week award in the Public Sector Category.

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