Lilia's story

Lilia was selected as the Stockport Game Changer. She was interested in football and passionate about giving other girls a chance to play.

Lilia Gavillet coaching girls football.

With the fantastic scenes at Wembley, as the Lionesses lifted England's first major trophy since 1966, there has never been a better time to focus on access to football for girls.

In Stockport, the SHAPES Alliance Team supports the FA's aim to have equal access to football in schools for girls by 2024. Currently only around half of girls in Stockport have access to football in the curriculum and after school.

Dan Turner, Stockport's Strategic FA Girls Football Lead, said: "We were already running a popular programme of girls football competitions. However, we needed to widen the offer with something that inspired girls to play. The Barclays Game Changer programme was introduced this year and has been a real success.

"Lilia Gavillet from St James' Catholic High School in Cheadle Hulme was selected as the Stockport Game Changer. She was interested in football and passionate about giving other girls a chance to play. Lilia received 2 days of training on how to deliver skills and motivate children and co-produced a pilot training and question and answer session for primary schools."

Lilia ran sessions at Hursthead Infant School and Nevill Road Junior School. 25 year 2 girls and 25 year 5 girls participated in the sessions. Since then, both schools have committed to running girls extra-curricular football sessions, starting in September, ensuring equal access for girls in both schools.

Lilia Gavillet

I really enjoy being part of this programme and motivating the girls and hearing what they have to say about their experiences playing football. I’m excited for the future, we plan on encouraging primary schools to have their own girls football teams along with training sessions, which will hopefully help make some positive changes to the game.

To maximise Lilia's impact we're looking for local businesses to fund playground football equipment packs for schools that commit an area of their playground at lunch and playtimes to girls only football. In return for this commitment and the equipment packs, SHAPES and Lilia will train 5 year 6 girls in delivering various football related games. The year 6 girls will then provide the lead in the playground games.

In Stockport, we're committed to changing the football landscape for girls in schools, supporting them to overcome barriers and offering equal access.

If you're a local business and interested in funding opportunities in your local schools, contact dan.turner@stockport.gov.uk.

Inspired and want to find out what’s available to help you get active? Find groups and organisations near you in the One Stockport Live Well directory.

Did you know?

  • Due to recent National Lottery funding of £2 million, the FA will launch the Squad Girls Football programme later this summer 2022. It'll be aimed at 12 to 14 year olds.

  • 1895 was the first women's football match. North of England beat South of England, 7 to 1. Up until the recent Euros the biggest crowd for a women’s game was on Boxing Day, 1920. 53,000 people watched Dick Kerr's ladies beat St Helen's ladies 4 to 0.

  • In 1921, the FA banned women from playing on Football League grounds. “…the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged."