Girls and young women across Barking and Dagenham are benefiting from a range of inspiring opportunities thanks to ongoing support from the Park Charitable Trust for Girls.
Established following the closure of Park School for Girls in Ilford, the Trust continues the school's legacy by improving access to education, supporting wellbeing, and helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their full potential, with a particular focus on girls.
Working in partnership with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, the Trust has provided funding for the School Sports Partnership and a number of projects designed to empower young women through education, sport, creativity and personal development.
We've had lots of sports success! Recent sporting successes across the borough include Riverside School girls becoming London Basketball Champions after winning both the Barking and Dagenham borough competition and the East London finals. Dagenham Park School also represented East London, highlighting the strength of girls' sport and physical activity participation across the borough.
One of the projects supported by the Trust is the Empower-Her Dance, Create and Perform Project at Eastbrook School. The programme gave girls the opportunity to build confidence, develop dance skills and express themselves through creativity and performance.
Over a series of rehearsals between May and July, participants worked together to create and refine a dance routine, developing teamwork, communication and performance skills. The project culminated in a successful performance at the Barking and Dagenham Carnival, where the girls proudly showcased their hard work and talent to the local community.
The project successfully achieved its aims of empowering young women, increasing participation in physical activity and providing a positive platform for self-expression. The carnival performance celebrated the participants' dedication, confidence and personal growth, demonstrating the positive impact of the Trust's support.
Other funded initiatives include skills development workshops, mentoring opportunities, literacy support programmes, employability qualifications for SEN girls and digital technology projects designed to build confidence and aspiration.
In addition, 30 athletes proudly represented Barking and Dagenham at the TCS Mini London Marathon Championships, demonstrating the continued success of the borough's commitment to sport and physical activity.
The Park Charitable Trust for Girls continues to play an important role in creating opportunities for girls and young women across the borough, helping them build confidence, develop new skills and achieve their full potential.