Key Takeaways
- Girls can attend free padel coaching at Withdean Sports Club before Christmas, thanks to a partnership between Game4Padel and Brighton & Hove City Council’s Healthy Living team.
- The scheme responds to a gender imbalance highlighted by Lawn Tennis Association figures, which show women make up only about 30% of padel players in the UK.
- No experience or equipment is needed for any of the sessions, which form part of the council’s wider work to make physical activity more accessible.
Withdean Sports Club hosts free community padel sessions
A new community scheme is giving girls in Brighton and Hove the chance to try padel for free this autumn. Game4Padel, which operates the venue, is working with Brighton & Hove City Council’s Healthy Living team on coaching sessions running in the period before Christmas.
The beginner classes take place on Game4Padel’s courts at Withdean Sports Club, with both playing experience and equipment supplied or unnecessary. By removing those financial and practical barriers, organizers hope to attract girls from throughout the local area.
Brighton project targets padel’s nationwide gender divide
Padel is expanding quickly across Great Britain as more dedicated courts open in towns and cities. That growth has not removed the sport’s gender imbalance, however, with national figures continuing to show a clear divide.
Lawn Tennis Association data puts the proportion of female padel participants in the UK at roughly 30%. The Brighton initiative is intended to challenge that pattern by giving young girls a friendly, low-pressure introduction that can strengthen confidence and encourage ongoing activity.
Padel’s rapid growth supports grassroots activity
Played in doubles on enclosed courts around one third the size of conventional tennis courts, padel combines features of tennis and squash. Glass and mesh walls are part of the playing area, helping rallies continue and making the sport approachable for newcomers.
The sessions support Brighton & Hove City Council’s wider public-health goal of keeping residents active. They are part of a broader set of local initiatives, which also includes matchday work with Guide Dogs and campaigns promoting Sussex food and drink businesses.
