By Aston Villa FC

Aston Villa Women are delighted to announce a new partnership with the LEGO Group UK.

The partnership will be focused on empowering young girls and breaking down the barriers to play, kicking off in pre-season with a free to enter coaching clinic hosted at Aston Villa’s new inner city Academy facility, Brookvale.

Not only that but the event will be co-hosted by Lioness and Villa star Rachel Daly, who has also recently been awarded with the PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award. The clinic has been specifically designed for girls aged 7-9 to teach ‘Buildbackability,’ the art of bouncing back after setbacks. It will feature a series of fun football drills, LEGO build challenges and a chance to meet our very own Rachel Daly.

Sign up now before Sunday, September 10 via the link below. Places are offered on a first come first serve basis and are limited so please sign up early.

Aston Villa recognises the importance of the provision of this clinic and increasing both awareness and access to the game. Last season the club launched the 'Be The Inspiration' campaign focussed on giving young girls the platform and confidence to play at all levels of the game.

This campaign was rooted in research conducted with the support of Beatfreeks a youth marketing agency to engage with those in our local community to understand the perceptions and barriers to engagement with women’s football. The research was conducted with a diverse range of 300+ young people aged 12-30 via several focus groups and a digital survey, discussing their feelings about women’s football, what they want, and the barriers to growing the game.

Of the key findings, both accessibility and visibility were cited. Including that 38% of women and girls who don’t currently play football wanting to. The lack of physical as well as safe space was identified as a critical barrier and 53% of women said they would be encouraged to play by seeing others play. Our partnership with the LEGO Group UK is an important part of the club continuing the work started with the BTI campaign.

Since the research, Aston Villa Women have gone from strength to strength. With the 2022/23 season being full of moments to remember, including a momentous run to the semi-final of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup, a fifth-place finish in the Barclays Women’s Super League as well as Rachel Daly’s golden boot award. Not only that but eight Academy players have made their first-team debuts since 2021/22.

Chris Heck, President of Business Operations, said: “Following a successful 2022/23 season, we are already seeing the trend continue into the 2023/24 season, notably with record numbers of season ticket holders and high demand for our opening fixture against Manchester United at Villa Park on October 1.

"At the core of our operation is a commitment to the growth of the profile, participation, and fandom of the women’s game all while celebrating the best women athletes in the world. With a shared common purpose, we are delighted to be in a strategic partnership with The LEGO Group UK for the season ahead. Our mission is to work with great local and global brands, and we accomplish both with this partnership."

Isabel Graham, Head of Marketing at the LEGO Group, said: "At the LEGO Group we’re committed to breaking down barriers to play. Our research shows learning to recover from setbacks is key to helping children achieve their potential, so we’re excited to be offering a number of different ways to help young girls learn confidence and resilience through ‘Unstoppable FC.’ The amazing success of the Lionesses throughout the FIFA World Cup is a great example of what women and girls can achieve when they break down barriers to play."