Girls get active

Empowered: The Aquamoves team who conducted the Women Only Swimming Session.

Greater Shepparton City Council has partnered with VicHealth in their ‘This Girl Can – Victoria’ campaign to offer a series of Women Only Swimming sessions at Aquamoves Lakeside Shepparton.

The first session in August saw over 180 women and girls attend to enjoy access to Aquamoves’ heated indoor pools, spas and sauna, as well as participate in free one-on-one water safety lessons offered throughout the evening.

The ‘This Girl Can – Victoria’ campaign is a local version of the world-famous viral campaign by Sport England which inspired an incredible 3.9 million British women to ditch the couch and get active.

‘This Girl Can – Victoria’ aims to build upon this success and empower women across the state to get active and overcome feelings of judgment.

Council’s Director Community, Kaye Thomson, says it’s fantastic to see Aquamoves’ Women Only Swimming sessions are encouraging local women to get out, be active and find their confidence.

“This is a really great opportunity for women in our community to enjoy exercising in a particularly supportive and comfortable environment while celebrating what they can do.”

VicHealth Chief Executive Officer, Jerril Rechter, said the fear of judgment – as well as actual experiences of judgement – stop too many women from being physically active.

“Over half of Victorian women worry about being judged while exercising and for over 40 percent this feeling of embarrassment or intimidation is so strong it actually stops them from taking part in sport or exercise.”

Aquamoves has scheduled more sessions to run over the coming months and hopes to make the events part of their regular service offering.