Liverpool John Moores University hosted the first Help for Heroes Community Sports Series dedicated to female veterans on 8 and 9 March.
Help for Heroes has a programme of sports and social activities for former members of the armed forces as part of their recovery programme, which hopes to encourage more female veterans to become active.
The Series was launched three years ago, but this was the first time an event was held exclusively for women.
Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the aim of the weekend was to celebrate strong women across the armed forces and help them to develop relationships with other veterans.
Participants were provided with an opportunity to take part in a number of adaptive sports taster sessions including netball, yoga, walking rugby, powerlifting, boccia, and rowing.
Caroline Buckle, a former member of the Adjutant General Corps, was medically discharged in 2014 and is now a powerlifting and rowing coach.
Speaking on the weekend’s event, she said: “I would say it has been a big success because I think it has broken down a barrier that sometimes female veterans have had, coming to these events and feeling they are not fit enough, or not able enough to do the sports.
“Here, it is all women together, so I think it makes it a lot easier.
“It has become a very comfortable environment to be in, from arriving and not knowing people to leaving knowing everybody.”
Six Community Sports Series events are set to be held across the country in total in 2025, with Liverpool being the launch event and the only one dedicated to women.
See below our interview with Community Sports Coordinator Gemma Kemble-Stephenson:
Featured image by Ellie Harker
