The programme will see 200 SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs opening throughout England this spring, each run in conjunction with the local County FA and their key partners.   

The move will provide girls aged from five to 11 with regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun, engaging and safe environment over a minimum 16-week period.

The project is an integral part of The FA’s objective to double girls’ football participation by 2020 and has been established in a joint partnership between The FA and SSE, supporters of girls’ football participation and sponsor of the SSE Women’s FA Cup

The new SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs in Suffolk will be taking place in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Ipswich and Lowestoft.

The SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs will run in the spring and through to the summer on a weekly basis, either at weekends, after school or during the evening. 

Parents and carers who attend with the girls will also have the optional opportunity to take part in football-related fitness sessions at the same time as the girls.

For details of how girls can sign-up to join the clubs please email info@Suffolkfa.com  

John Stewart, SSE’s Director of Human Resources, said: “We’re delighted to support The FA in setting up these centres, helping to deliver high quality coaching sessions across the country to the next generation of female footballers.

“At SSE we are extremely proud to be a fundamental part of supporting the grassroots game. This is a key reason for our sponsorship of the SSE Women’s FA Cup, not only are we focussed on achieving greater awareness of the sport at an elite level, equally as important we are creating more opportunities and relentlessly encouraging more girls to get involved in football.”

Suffolk FA Girls’ and Women’s Football Development Officer Paige Shorten stated: “I am very excited that Suffolk FA will be launching SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs in the very near future in our county.

“The four clubs in Suffolk will be based in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Ipswich and Lowestoft, linking with local primary schools to promote our brand new centres.

“These clubs will be fun, friendly and will create learning opportunities for the girls taking part. We really believe these new centres will engage with parents, schools and young girls to be inspired to attend our centres.”

Suffolk FA Chief Executive Laura Smith added: “Suffolk Wildcats will be the first step into female provision in Suffolk for five-11 year olds and give young girls the opportunity to develop, learn and have fun whilst working with female role models.

“The sessions will focus on fun, sports and friends in a safe and inclusive environment with music and giveaways throughout the programme to keep girls coming back each week.

“It’s all about embracing the ethos of ‘playing like a girl’ and creating environments where girls feel comfortable playing sports, potentially for the first time.

“We hope that the Wildcats will attract new girls and their parents into sport and activity and give them the best possible first football experience in Suffolk.”