On Saturday 10 May, a powerful collaboration between England Netball, Netball Super League club Loughborough Lightning, Freedom4Girls, Dorcas, and Emma Quinn introduced NETBALLHer to young girls and their care givers, bringing them together for an engaging and educational experience centred around puberty and periods.
Held on the Loughborough University campus ahead of the Netball Super League match between Loughborough Lightning and NIC Leeds Rhinos, the event combined interactive learning, sport, and open conversations to create a memorable and empowering day. Local partners in attendance included period poverty charity Freedom4Girls, nonprofit organisation Dorcas, and female health expert Emma Quinn.
65% of girls drop out of sport by the time they’re through puberty leading us to question why and what can be done to break this barrier down. NETBALLHer is designed to support women and girls at every life stage by addressing key female health topics such as puberty, menstrual health, and the menopause through the lens of sport, so that women and girls can stay active for longer.
The puberty event featured four interactive stations designed to build knowledge and confidence around female health. Activities included period pack making, cycle tracking, body autonomy education, and a creative, myth-busting bracelet-making workshop. The supportive atmosphere meant that any initial discomfort quickly disappeared, with children fully engaging in the activities and discussions.
England Netball Netball Development Officer for Leicestershire and Rutland Megan Sayers, who organised the event and collaborated with local partners to bring it to life, said: “The event was a fantastic success. There was such positive energy from the start, and it was amazing to see both children and adults so engaged. The atmosphere felt safe, open and fun, which really helped break down barriers around a topic that can often feel awkward. There’s something so powerful about girls learning about puberty and periods in spaces where they feel safe, energised and amongst other females they can relate to, rather than it being just another classroom topic.”
A standout moment came when several Loughborough Lightning and Leeds Rhinos players joined the session, participating in the bracelet-making and sharing their own light-hearted stories about periods. Their openness helped normalise the conversation further, creating a relaxed environment where the girls could see strong female role models speak candidly about topics that are often seen as taboo, reinforcing this sense of support and openness.
Following the educational activities, the children enjoyed a Bee Netball session, while parents and carers took part in a more in-depth learning workshop led by Emma Quinn and Dorcas.
Sharing how the Bee Netball session was very popular with the girls, Megan added: “Bringing sport into this kind of education makes it feel more relaxed and relatable, helping girls connect with the subject in a way that feels positive and less scary. If we break the taboos now, we’re setting girls up to feel confident and in control at every life stage. Let’s bring puberty talk to the table, the court, the playground, just like we would any other subject.”
The structure of the day allowed both children and caregivers to explore female health topics at the right level for them, promoting a shared understanding and equipping families with the tools to continue these conversations at home.
This collaboration demonstrated the power of sport as a platform for meaningful, inclusive education. By bringing together trusted organisations and creating a safe, creative space, the event not only informed but inspired, supporting young girls and their care givers through a pivotal moment in their development.
Feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive. Parents praised the session as age appropriate, engaging, and confidence building, with 100% rating it as “excellent” in the post-event feedback survey. Many commented on the value of the interactive approach, the open dialogue it encouraged, and their improved confidence in talking to their children about puberty.
For more support or resources on periods check out NETBALLHer and England Netball partners: NIXI Body and Here We Flo!
You can read more about conversations around puberty at the tab above too.
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