BTEC students showed off more than their football skills, as they took to the Community pitch at the CFA to showcase the new 'A Girl with Goals' sportswear range.

Launched to coincide with International Women’s Day celebrations, all profits raised will be donated to City in the Community (CITC).

To celebrate the launch, students based at Connell Co-op College on a BTEC Level 3 Sport and Performance programme - combining academic studies with a comprehensive football programme, took to the training pitch to put the new gear through its paces.

Testing hoodies and t-shirts, over fifteen young women trained on the Community Pitch at the CFA in ‘Girls with Goals’ sportswear, to see how the tops matched up to players on-pitch skills.

‘A Girl With Goals’ in action

Eva, one of the students from the session said, “I really liked the new tops! It’s great to have something that’s designed for us and to celebrate International Women’s Day too.”

Her teammate Kiera added, “The hoodies were really comfy and looked ace. To hear that all profits will be donated to CITC is great. I know CITC help to support us through our education and football programs, so I know that any funds raised will go to good use.”

The ‘A Girl with Goals’ collection is on sale now and will support a new mental health initiative for girls in Manchester.

All proceeds will help CITC to expand its existing football and mental health curriculum to deliver specially tailored sessions for young women aged 11 to 18 years.

The range, which has been designed by City’s Official Retail Partner, Fanatics, includes a hoodie, t-shirt, water bottle, notepad, and mug. Prices range from £11 - £45.

Alongside this range, PUMA have launched a t-shirt celebrating their ‘SHE MOVES US’ campaign, with both the club and PUMA donating all proceeds from this to CITC. SHE MOVES US is a communications platform where PUMA celebrates women who move together to achieve and connect – through sport, culture and values.

City in the Community’s Partnership Manager, Michael Geary, said:

We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the club for donating their share of the profits to CITC.
We’ve been working hard to provide enhanced mental wellbeing support for young people in response to COVID-19 and have identified a need for bespoke sessions tailored to women and girls.
CITC has a brilliant relationship with the Club, and this new range is a great example of how our community focused approaches are so well aligned.
Thank you as well to all fans who support the collection – you’re making a positive difference to the lives of many women and girls in Manchester.

CITC’s existing mental health programme has been supported by the Cityzens Giving for Recovery initiative, which aims to make a positive difference in response to the COVID-19 pandemic via targeted projects near each of City Football Group’s ten clubs.

Since June, City Football Group has matched donations pound for pound* from kind-hearted City fans and partners, raising thousands for recovery projects around the world.

In Manchester, the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health was highlighted as a major concern amongst carers and parents.

A dedicated team has developed a new mental health curriculum for 14 – 25-year-olds, blending specially adapted football sessions with one-to-one mentoring and group workshops on mental health awareness.

To find out more visit www.mancity.com/community.

Browse or purchase the ‘A Girl With Goals’ here.

*To a limit of £500,000 across all projects - see FAQs for more info