Duerr & Sons has teamed up with not-for-profit Our Goal to help provide sport mentoring for teenage girls who have fallen out of love with physical education.
Our Goal, founded by Ella Williams (pictured), was set up in July 2023 to help empower girls across Greater Manchester with physical education and sports. The organisation offers community football coaching sessions, as well as mentoring programmes in secondary schools.
Starting this month, The Duerr’s Foundation will fund a 12-month ‘Our Goal’ mentoring programme in two Wythenshawe schools – Manchester Enterprise Academy and Dixons Newall Green Academy.
The sweet spreads business donated £4,200 for the two programmes which will help more than 24 girls with one-to-one mentoring and training.
The programme sessions are designed with the girls, based on what they enjoy, so each one is unique; activities can include wellbeing walks, ball games, boxing, yoga, and dance.
Ella, who has previously worked for Manchester City Football Club, believes physical activity can empower women. Her mentoring programmes in schools are already proving to boost engagement at school and even have a positive impact on pupil attendance.
Shemsaid: “At secondary school age girls are going through so many changes in their bodies that P.E. can often highlight, leaving them feeling exposed and insecure, which means they miss lessons or skip school to avoid taking the class. It’s time we changed this narrative and help girls to break down the barriers they face to being physically active.
“The Duerr’s Foundation donation is a huge support; it helps the schools to run the programmes and gets young girls moving. Getting girls active has long-term mental health benefits. It is hugely important we foster this love of physical activity and self-care in young women, as it is something they will carry with them into adulthood.”
The Duerr’s Foundation was set up by the family business in 2019 and supports charities and organisations in the heart of its Wythenshawe community, where the head office and factory are based.
The Duerr’s Foundation is dedicated to giving back to worthy causes, whether through monetary gifting or product donations from its extensive range of jams, marmalades, peanut butters and condiments. The foundation supports youth clubs, schools, charitable causes and community events across the city.
Managing director of the foundation, Richard Duerr, said: “We pride ourselves on being an integral part of the Manchester community and being able to offer our support to organisations and charities that need it.
“Our Goal is an incredible not-for-profit initiative which can really change how girls feel about sport in their formative teenage years, it is great to be involved.”
