A popular park in York is celebrating a festival they hosted, which saw over 400 teenage girls take part.
The Make Space for Girls Festival has finished, it saw five weeks of free events and activities for teenage girls in Rowntree Park, with additional events held in Homestead Park and West Bank Park.
Over 400 teenage girls participated in a range of activities. Including: sports, exercise, dance, wellbeing sessions, arts and crafts, photography, performing arts, and nature sessions.
The festival featured over 30 events aimed primarily at girls aged 10-18, with some activities also suitable for younger girls and women.
The Friends of Rowntree Park said that the programme's variety aimed to foster fun, social interaction, and new experiences in a safe and welcoming outdoor environment.
Led by Abigail Gaines of the Friends of Rowntree Park, the ongoing 'Make Space for Girls' York project is built on research, engagement, and co-creation with local teenage girls.
Abigail said that research indicates that teenage girls' use of parks and open spaces declines compared to boys as they grow older.
She added: "Only 15 per cent of teenage girls are doing enough physical activity globally, and there are a lot of great campaigns to encourage more girls into sport.
"However, it’s important that we reframe physical activity to go beyond just sport. It’s about movement, enjoyment, fun and friendships.
"By encouraging local girls to use our parks through activities for them and equipment for teenage play this contributes to activity levels."
The Friends of Rowntree Park said that feedback on the festival has been overwhelmingly positive.
"A big thank you for organising such a big and wonderful festival," said the parent of one girl who attended.
"Everyone was really friendly, my daughter got to try new things, had fun, and it got her out and about and away from screens.
"I really hope the project continues and the festival runs again next year.
"It really helps create a sense of community and showed us so many things that we can do in parks that we hadn't thought of before."
The June festival first launched in 2023 in Rowntree Park and received national acclaim by winning the Green Flag Award for 'Best Initiative to Engage and Increase the Use of Parks by Women and Girls.'
The 2024 Festival was supported by funding from Benenden Health and the National Lottery Community Fund, with some additional support from The Mount School. Abigail said she is already looking for funding to enable the festival to continue in 2025.
Abigail added: "All girls are encouraged to join future events, reclaim public spaces, and help shape a brighter, more inclusive future.
"If you’d like to support the project, do get in touch."
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