The National Lottery has allocated £200 million for sports: how money is changing girls' lives.

According to The Sun: The summer season is already over, but the year of women's sports continues.

Thanks to National Lottery participants, over £200 million has been allocated for the development of children's athletics, which has improved accessibility, infrastructure, and coaching support.

The Cornwall Athletic Club has 150 senior participants and girls of all ages

NEVER STOP DEVELOPING POTENTIALCornwall Athletic Club

The Cornwall Athletic Club aims to encourage youth in sports from an early age, involving not only girls but also preschool children from the age of four.

“You see kids sitting at the edge of the track with their parents, so to keep them from freezing and being bored, we start with the basics - coordination, jumping over soft barriers, something like that,” says Karen Robillard, head of the athletics club. “They enjoy it.”

This approach is yielding results.

The club in Redruth is actively developing, particularly thanks to funding of over £56,000 from the National Lottery, which helped build a new facility.

Every Saturday, about 80 children, mostly girls, train there, along with over 150 paid senior club members.

Among the famous athletes here is pole vaulter Molly Coder, whose chance for a medal at the World Championships in Tokyo unfortunately ended with an injury.

“Molly has been here since she was 11, and she regularly comes back, trains, and poses for photos,” says Karen. “She is a wonderful woman. I get chills when I talk about her.”

Deeside - home to rising talents and record-breakers

NOT AFRAID TO DREAM BIGDeeside Amateur Athletic Club

This club in North Wales, like many across the country, actively supports girls to not only enjoy themselves but also realize their potential.

“It’s important for kids to have something positive in their lives,” says coach Tanya Williams.

“There’s no pressure here, but if you have talent, we will do everything possible to help you progress.”

A new track, built with £27,000 in National Lottery funding through Sport Wales, has become the foundation for success.

Deeside is an active team in the national UK Youth Development League, and talents like Olivia Skrimshaw, a British record holder in triple jump for under-15 athletes, are developing here.

A club graduate, Sabrina Fortun, recently became F20 shot put champion at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.

“We have children who come just to enjoy training, compete, and form their friend groups,” says Tanya. “We also have talented young people with ambitions to become Olympians. They can improve quickly.”

“We have not only the best kids in Wales - we have some of the best in Great Britain.”

Annadale has a friendly atmosphere and provides support

WELCOMING EVERYONEAnnadale Striders

Belfast is an exciting city, but women moving here may find it hard to fit in.

In 2021, Annadale Striders launched an initiative to create a safe space to attract more women athletes.

“The goal was to give them not only a competitive platform but also a friendly atmosphere and a specialized support network,” says women's coach Alison Stokes.

“A French girl who moved here last year told me she is very grateful to have found such a welcoming club.”

“We also have several women with small children, and we are here to help them - last week I took care of the kids on the track while one mother ran.”

National Lottery funding goes through Athletics Northern Ireland to Striders.

The club allocated funds to develop women to participate in specialized sessions such as nutrition and sports psychology.

Today, membership has more than doubled to 30, and success has not been long in coming.

Last year, Striders won first and third places at the NI & Ulster 10K championships and became the champions in the Masters relay from Northern Ireland.

“The club supports us 100%,” says Alison. “We’re getting stronger.”

Edinburgh's oldest and largest athletic club has roots going back to 1885

OLYMPIC LEGACYEdinburgh Athletic Club

AS FORMERLY the oldest and largest athletic club in the city, Edinburgh AC has recognized role models - Olympians like Alan Wells and Moira McQuarrie, as well as current middle-distance champions Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman.

“One of our coaches has a photo of Josh and Jake when they represented us at a young age, which he loves to show to new boys and girls to show them who they are, where they come from, and what can be achieved here,” says Yvonne Jones, club president and team coach.

The club's home, the Meadowbank Sports Centre, received £5 million in National Lottery funding as part of a refurbishment project, and the pathway to talent remains just as strong as ever.

This season, younger members won the Scottish league and competed in the UK YDL national finals, setting 42 personal bests.

“We welcome girls and boys and grow them right from the playground to the podium, if that’s what they aspire to,” says Yvonne.

“But most importantly, we are here to make athletics accessible to everyone and enjoyable for all.

“It’s a great club to be part of - that’s why we have a queue of youths wanting to join.”

The National Lottery is changing lives every day. Learn more at national-lottery.co.uk/life-changing

The athletic clubs mentioned in this article demonstrate how important it is to support young female athletes and create an inclusive environment for their development. With funding from the National Lottery, many clubs are actively working to raise the profile of children's athletics, enabling new talents to shine. These initiatives not only nurture Olympic hopes but also foster a healthy lifestyle for youth.