More than 3,600 people gather for girls football festival

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Caerphilly Castle Ladies and Girls FC have once again hosted the borough’s biggest girls football festival – with 122 teams and more than 1,200 players taking part.

The festival was held on June 27 and June 28 at Virginia Park – with more around 2,400 parents and supporters in attendance.

The festival, which marked its fourth year, highlighted the continued growth of girls’ football across the borough, bringing together clubs from across south Wales.

Hundreds of matches were played throughout the weekend, giving players of all abilities the opportunity to showcase their skill.

Over the two days, there were teams involved from under-6s up to under-14s, with both morning and afternoon sessions available to all teams competing.

The club used the event to raise money for children’s cancer charity Latch, which is based at the Children’s Hospital for Wales in Cardiff. Organisers donated 15% of all teams’ entry fees to the charity, raising more than £600.

As well as the football, the festival included a BBQ food stand, coffee, sweet stalls and a bouncy castle.

Bethan Bushen, event organiser and coach at Caerphilly Castle Ladies and Girls, told Caerphilly Observer she was “delighted” with how “our biggest festival to date” turned out.

“When we relaunched the event four years ago, we had around 30 teams taking part, so seeing how much it has grown is something we’re incredibly proud of,” she said. “The festival has now become one of the biggest all-girls and women’s grassroots football tournaments in south Wales, and that’s a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.”

Referee Richard Saunders was involved for a second time this year, and said: “The communication, organisation and overall setup were excellent, and the event was brilliantly run by the entire team. It was made even more special this year as my son joined me as a referee for the first time.

“He thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I’m sure we’ll both be back again next year.”

Liz Derry, a volunteer for the weekend, also added: “The atmosphere was wonderful, everyone was having a good time, and the sportsmanship witnessed across teams, as well as within teams, was fantastic to see.

“Everyone pulled together to create a really seamless event, and I look forward to being involved for years to come,” Derry said.