Changing the future of girls' sport with Youth Sport Trust

The 12-year-old from Leighton Buzzard set up the Girls Active programme at Brooklands Middle School, an initiative run by the Youth Sport Trust which prides itself on getting more young girls involved in physical activity. 

Hays' work in helping get more girls at her school into sport led to her being awarded the Inspirational Inclusive Leader Award at the 2024 Youth Sport Trust Young Changemaker Awards.

It's an honour she believes changed her life, now viewed as a role model by her peers and friends.

"At my school, we have a programme called Girls Active," she said.

"A lot of the girls at my school love sport but didn't feel comfortable because they had to play with the boys as well.

"So, we made a team of just girls with Girls Active, and we come together to compete in lots of different sports.

"It's really important because everyone should feel happy and comfortable in their PE lessons and when doing sport.

Eden Hays plays football at National School Sports Week launch event (Image: Sportsbeat)

"I'm now a role model to others because of the club and the award which makes me feel really happy.

"It just shows that the Youth Sport Trust has helped change my life, and the lives of so many other girls.

"That's why it's so important to get exercise and get active because you never know what you can achieve."

Through her award-winning exploits, Hays was recently invited to attend the launch of National School Sports Week at Swiss Cottage School in London, taking part in an accessible sport session with students.

National School Sports Week is a weeklong annual campaign run by the Youth Sport Trust which aims to champion the role of PE, physical activity, and school sport in allowing all pupils to reach their full potential.

This year, National School Sports Week, powered by Sports Direct’s Monster Kickabout is themed around ‘putting all into football,’ through 60 minutes a day of PE, sport, and play, with the intention of driving up awareness of the Chief Medical Officer’s’ recommendation that children should be active for a minimum of 60 minutes a day to stay happy and healthy.

Youth Sport Trust CEO Ali Oliver was there to kick off the week alongside Hays and noted the importance of the campaign in getting young people active off the back of some harrowing statistics.

"We know that less than half of children nationally get their active minutes every day and that really isn’t good enough," she said.

"Those active minutes are vital for a child’s growth and development and it’s a really worry for us.

"The Youth Sport Trust hope to support schools and education set ups in creating active learning environments to make children happier and healthier.

"Whether that’s active travel or active playgrounds, physical activity is no longer just for children with high level of ability, it’s for everybody."

National School Sports Week is an annual campaign, launched originally in 2008 and run by national children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, to champion the role of PE, physical activity, and school sport in allowing all pupils to reach their full potential.