Team England athletes were in Birmingham last week to support Let's Lift the Curfew, a nationwide movement that encourages women to feel confident, safe and empowered to stay active after dark.
More than 100 participants gathered for the event, which launched a week-long campaign that will see more than 22,500 people run, walk, wheel and move together after dark, empowering women to stay active during the winter months.
The event shone a spotlight on a challenge faced by many women across the UK. According to This Girl Can research, nearly three-quarters (72%) of women change their outdoor activity routines during winter, impacting their health and wellbeing and reinforcing the gender activity gap, which sees half a million fewer active women than men.
Set against Birmingham's iconic canal network, participants came together to raise awareness of the barriers many women experience when exercising outdoors after dark. As they made their way through the city after sunset, the showcase highlighted the power of communities, organisations and sporting role models working together to inspire change and help more women feel confident, supported and able to be active year-round.
Representing Team England were Birmingham-born para-athlete Didi Okoh and Commonwealth Games wheelchair basketball gold medallist Lucy Robinson. Both athletes spent the evening meeting participants and supporting a campaign that aligns closely with Team England's commitment to using the power of sport to inspire positive change.
Speaking in her hometown of Birmingham, Didi explained why initiatives such as Let's Lift the Curfew are so important:
"It is really important to have accessibility and inclusion for women and girls in sport because the number of girls who drop out is huge. If we can create communities where women and girls feel safe and feel they belong, that's really important to me."
She also reflected on her own experiences of being active after dark:
"It can be uncomfortable to be on your own, which is the reality. Growing up, I always had that awareness of needing to be home by a certain time or making sure I was with friends if I was out later. That's why it's really exciting to have the opportunity to be here and run with everyone."
Didi's message to women and girls thinking about getting involved was simple:
"Just turn up. Give it a go. Even if you feel out of your comfort zone, chances are someone else will be feeling exactly the same."
For Team England, the event highlighted the positive role athletes can play beyond competition. By supporting initiatives such as Let's Lift the Curfew, athletes can help inspire participation, raise awareness of important issues and encourage more people to experience the benefits of being active.
Supporting women and girls to feel confident, included and able to take part in sport and physical activity is a key theme of Team England's Glasgow 2026 Legacy campaign. Through initiatives like Let's Lift the Curfew, Team England athletes are helping to raise awareness of the barriers many women face and inspiring collective action to create lasting change in communities across the country.
