International Women's Day

WFS Trustee Vivian Wallace

Happy International Women's Day

On International Women's Day, did you know that one of the early pioneers of walking football in Scotland was a woman?
Walking Football Scotland trustee Vivian Wallace, through the Ageing Well programme, started off the Midlothian group back in 2012 which was one of the first walking football sessions in the country.

Vivian has been at the forefront, developing walking football and also helped bring the sport to Trinidad and Tobago, actually playing in the country’s first tournament held in the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Trinidad’s National stadium.

Based on a couple of recent WFS surveys, it is estimated that there may now be up to 200 women playing in Scotland with several women's groups in Perthshire, Midlothian, Glasgow and Ayrshire with many other women playing in predominantly male sessions across the country and we urge all affiliated groups to encourage more females to join their sessions.

Walking Football Scotland is aware that many older women had a very difficult time gaining access to football facilities back in the sixties and seventies and are proud to have Rose Reilly MBE as one of our two Patrons.

WFS Patron Rose Reilly said: “I am happy to support the good work of Walking Football Scotland especially on International women’s day, to encourage as many women as possible to get active, get out and try walking football as another form of exercise. “It is great to see women’s football so popular and more and more women playing.

“When I was younger not a lot of women had the opportunity to play football.  I was determined to play and my love of football is still a major part of my life.

“Now for older women at this stage in your life walking football allows you to enjoy and play again or start playing football for the first time.”  

Rose Reilly MBE

Have a look online for sessions near you in our Join in section.