The Dads & Daughters Campaign With SSE

As a mum of two boys and Auntie to 2 very strong-willed courageous nieces, I am proud to support the Dads & Daughters campaign with SSE one of the UK’s largest Energy companies supplying energy to around 8.21 million customers throughout Great Britain and Ireland.

This campaign is aimed at encouraging young girls with 3 short films showcasing the importance of increasing the number of girls participating in football.

The Dads & Daughters Campaign

As a young girl growing up in the 80’s, P.E lessons at school involved the girls and boys being divided and put into stereotypical sports for each of the sexes. I was the captain of the netball team, played rounders and did gymnastics while the boys played Rugby, football and cricket.

This is just what happened, no one questioned why the girls couldn’t join in with the boys in their football lessons and matches, it was unheard of and probably would have been laughed at.

Times have definitely changed and girls play rugby and football as part of their P.E/Games lessons at school now, although in my opinion it still is encouraged more in boys and young men than girls and this needs to change.

At SSE, they are trying to break these barriers down by raising awareness of and increasing the opportunity for girls to get involved in football from a young age. This campaign is aimed at making sure that young girls are being encouraged to get involved in football. The FA SSE Girls Football Participation Programme is now running with more than 60 clubs taking part around the country, increasing the number of girls only football provisions.

The Dads and Daughters Series is celebrating the great work dads around the country are doing to encourage their daughters to get involved in football. Here is the third and final in a three-part series, each celebrating the relationship between dads and daughters and the power of football – at all levels of the game.

The Film: Flo and Rob Allen’s Story

This film tells the story of 17-year-old Flo Allen and her father Rob. Flo begun playing football when she was only six years old, since then she has developed into one of England’s top prospects to join the England Women’s Senior team. When Flo was only 16 she had to make the decision to leave home in Norfolk to move to Bristol, joining the ladies team there and chasing her dream of being a professional footballer. Flo is part of the England set-up, currently playing for the U17s with aims of being selected for the U17 England World Cup squad.

Despite the physical distance between Flo and her father, they couldn’t be closer, football being just one of the many reasons they are so close. Rob has always supported his daughter and is the first person Flo goes to for anything, claiming she wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without him.