A Bolton sports club’s initiative to attract more women and girls into sport is winning national praise.

Markland Hill Racquets Club in Victoria Road, Heaton, has six tennis courts, four badminton/Pickleball courts, two squash courts and table tennis facilities.

As one of the region’s oldest, the 97 years-old sports club has long attracted families and sports’ enthusiasts of all ages but is now widening its brief.

One of the new initiatives has been twice weekly female-only introduction to badminton sessions. Around 25 women and girls attended the 10-week course with the club’s Director of Badminton Graham Holt leading the coaching.

Badminton England, the sport’s over-arching body which boosted the sessions with a £1,000 grant, was so impressed with the course results that they invested in a professionally made video.

Now that three and a half minute video has won praise from national charity Women in Sport. They commented: “This is a wonderful video and what a fabulous club you are building. We know the power sport has to transform lives for the better.”

Graham Holt is delighted with the response. “We wanted to provide a safe space for women and girls to be introduced to badminton properly while having a fun time,” he explained.

“A large number of those who attended came from rounders and so were used to team play and socializing with others. This helped to provide a great atmosphere.”

One of them, local businesswoman Mandy Foster, described the course as “thoroughly enjoyable.” She stated: “As a Type 1 diabetic, I find it fairly difficult to keep active in a safe environment as well as keeping a healthy mindset, and this was a perfect alternative to other Winter sports.”

Others pointed to the mental wellbeing that accompanied the physical fun of badminton.

Now, another Wednesday evening course is underway and a further Thursday one planned for September.

In the meantime, former Olympic badminton star and Masters’ champion Julie Bradbury was at the club last weekend to run a coaching course, attracting more than 60 individuals, aged from six to 70.

At the same time as the new badminton coaching, the club has also been running squash at the Mosque sessions for girls. In fact, these have proved so popular that more sessions for women are being added to the programme.