Luton hub set up to encourage more women into sport

The sports hub hopes to encourage more women from South Asian backgrounds into sport

A hub that aims to help more women from South Asian backgrounds play sport has opened in Luton.

Organisers hope it will help women overcome religious and cultural barriers and increase participation in sports ranging from Zumba to cricket.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Luton Town Ladies FC and Luton Women & Girls Cricket Club are offering coaching to women from all backgrounds.

Organisers also hope it will bring mental and physical health benefits.

The first session has taken place at the Lancaster Avenue Recreation Ground.

Alia Ali said she has first had experience of intimidating all male sports environments

Alia Ali, an activator with the LTA Serves programme, said she had first-hand experience of the barriers that some women can feel exist at sports clubs.

She said: "I met up at a club and it was predominantly middle-aged white men, [it was] really hard to get involved.

"The coaches are also mainly men... it can be quite intimidating."

Binish Naeem has been attending sessions and said the all-female hub made it feel more accessible.

Binish Naeem hopes other women will be inspired to take part

She said in South Asian culture there was generally a belief that sports were not for girls.

"It's not a thing for women - that's a mindset; that's a thing everybody thinks, that I don't like," she said.

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She said she hoped that attendance would increase once other women saw her and others attending and enjoying sessions.

"Subconsciously they think they can't do that, but now looking at me, and it being only ladies, they see it as a positive thing," she said.

"I can do it if she can do it, they will come more and more. It's making a difference."

Maryam Malik believes the hub will make a difference to the number of women from South Asian backgrounds getting into sport

Maryam Malik, who wears a hijab, said she believed the hub would make a difference.

She said: "You do have to cover up and playing sport you get quite hot.

"And with males being around I want to keep myself as modest as possible, and because men are around it's hard to do so.

"But with women only... it will be nothing to worry about, " she said.

Organiser Amran Malik said he hoped the programme would be supported and lead to a "cash influx" to help make facilities more "women friendly" because older pavilions were "not made for women".