Girls' Football Week 2018: FA initiative returns to inspire girls to play football

Girls' Football Week is here, and BBC Get Inspired will bring you a selection of content to support the initiative.

The Football Association programme, from 23-29 April in 2018, is part of its plan to double the number of females playing football by 2020.

"Girls' Football Week is focused on inspiring a new generation of girls to get active and fall in love with football," explains Kelly Simmons, FA participation and development director.

It started in 2014 and has grown since.

About 2,000 people took part across 80 different sessions in the first year, which rose to 60,000 girls in 1,400 sessions in 2017.

"Football can offer these girls so much; from sheer enjoyment, to encouraging a healthy lifestyle and making friends," added Simmons.

Take the girls from St Joseph's Chamberlain College, for example (see video at the bottom of this article).

Moona explains how she played "on and off" at secondary school but has played in a team since attending St Joseph's Chamberlain.

"I've loved it," she says. "We play after college on Mondays and I've met new girls who I'd never normally speak to."

You can find out more about Girls' Football Week - and the special sessions taking place for it near you - on the special section of the FA website.

Chichester City reached the fifth round of the Women's FA Cup

Matt Wright, seen above with the Chichester City team he has coached for a decade, will again be running Girls' Football Week sessions - as he has since it started.

"It really is a great way to get involved in the game," he says.

"I know a number of girls who only started playing the game during Girls' Football Week and now they play week in, week out."

The University of Manchester is another venue for one of the week's activities.

Over 100 girls will take part in activities at their Armitage Sports Centre on Wednesday, 25 April, led by members of their Women's Football Club and Sports Volunteer Scheme.

BBC Get Inspired will bring you more stories celebrating girls and women footballers throughout the week as we also build up to the finals of the FA People's Cup on Saturday and Sunday, 28-29 April.