A national campaign to get more women and girls active in sport and exercise is getting its own spotlight in Hertfordshire.

This Girl Can in Herts Week, which runs from next Friday, October 16, to October 25, had a launch event on Monday at Arsenal FC’s training ground in London Colney.

It is being run by the Herts Sports Partnership on the back of Sport England’s national campaign.

The week will see a programme of activities, taster sessions in sport and exercise across Hertfordshire, including netball, trampolining, swimming and aerobics.

Speaking at the launch, Hannah Blaydon, of Sport England, said the proportion of women who were actively participating in sport was much less than men, with some saying it was a fear of not looking right or a worry about a lack of ability that was stopping them.

That sparked slogans such as “I jiggle, therefore I am” and “Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox”, all designed to inspire more women to become active.

But Hannah admits that it will not happen overnight.

She said: “This is a behavioural journey. This is changing the whole perception around women and girls, almost allowing them to do sport. It’s going to take time.

“We’re trying to change the stereotypical view that men do sport and women don’t. We’re trying to quash all that and inspire women and give them confidence.”

She went on: “What we are learning from our insight is that we can’t just blanket-assume that everyone out there is being competitive in a traditional manner.

“We often need to be more bespoke, more tailored, much more considered around the individual, much more about the experience that someone wants to have.”

The video for the national campaign also starred Hoddesdon swimmer, Ruby Codiroli.

For more information visit www.sportinherts.org.uk