8th March 2022
| Mallory Gray
International Women's Day 2022 – Cricket Wales pledges commitment to Girls’ personal health needs
As part of Cricket Wales’ celebrations of International Women’s Day 2022, we have teamed up with FabLittleBag and Freda to ensure girls across Wales are considered and catered for – both on and off the field.
With 100 clubs in Wales now offering dedicated playing opportunities for Women and Girls – and female participation having grown by over 650% in Wales between 2013-2021 – we now want to lead the conversation around female wellbeing, as part of our cricket offer.
In line with our strategic priority to sustain and further grow female participation in cricket in Wales, and in the context of Welsh Government’s own Period Dignity Strategy and Action Plan, Cricket Wales is proud to today announce that we are committing to funding environmentally friendly and sustainable sanitary provision for every female toilet cubicle in every club in Wales which provides a dedicated female playing offer.
Through our partnership with FabLittleBag & Freda, all clubs with a female playing offer, including Girls-Only Dynamos, will be in line to receive a starter kit of products for each female cubicle at their club, meaning female players in Wales should be provided with a discreet dispenser and environmentally friendly sanitary products, for any moment they might need them.
Announcing the partnership, Cricket Wales CEO, Leshia Hawkins, commented;
“With the spectacular growth we have seen in female participation, and the growing proportion of women taking up main club committee roles in Wales, it is now timely and right to extend our thinking to the needs of female players off the field, as well as on it.
“This initiative is not only important to continue to break taboos on female health, particularly menstruation, in sport, but also to ensure that we can retain female players in our game and allow them to flourish; to focus on developing their skills and moving through the pathway – or simply to have fun in a safe, comfortable, female-friendly environment.
“FabLittleBag and Freda also absolutely align with our values, responsibilities and ambitions in relation to environmental sustainability.
“I have no doubt we will continue to lead the way for female participation in cricket in England & Wales - and I am personally passionate that we enable as many girls as possible in Wales to confidently say ‘Cricket is a game for me’”.
In addition to today’s commitment, all cricket clubs in Wales will shortly be able to apply, through ECB’s new strategic County Grants Scheme, for funding to support facility development projects, which create welcoming environments; This will include enhancements to changing and toilet areas, with a particular focus for female or disabled players/participants.
Further details on this scheme will be launched to all clubs shortly.
Parents and Guardians looking to sign their child up to All Stars Cricket or Dynamos in 2022 can do so here.