Hundreds of women and girls took part in an event to break down barriers in sports.

The This Girl Can campaign promoting women’s involvement in sports came to Hertfordshire for a series of events across the county between June 18 and 24.

Supporting the national This Girl Can campaign, the Hertfordshire event series was run by the Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership.

According to the national This Girl Can website, “We want to help women overcome the fear of judgement that is stopping too many women and girls from joining in.”

The county-wide event series was based at the University of Hertfordshire and included free pickleball — a sport combining badminton, tennis and table tennis — sessions, health walks and beginner weightlifting, climbing, cardio tennis and medau, a rhythmic, music-based exercise from Germany.

Among the highlights of the week was St Albans Sub Aqua Club filling 14 diving taster session places, while Fullerians RFC in Watford got 16 new women and girls involved in their fitness training. Stevenage Starlets FC also hosted a girls football taster session attended by over 50 people.

Alex Varran, HSP’s Women and Girls’ project officer, said: “The 2018 This Girl Can in Herts campaign week was phenomenal and I am very proud to see the high levels of engagement with the campaign from partners all across Hertfordshire.”