Doncaster project which challenges stereotypes about young Muslim women is appealing for competition votes

Muslim Girls Fence beat off stiff competition from more than 1,300 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards, which celebrate the inspirational people and projects which do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.

There are 17 shortlisted finalists from across the UK, all of which were due to compete in a four-week public vote from 7th September to 7th October to be named the National Lottery Project of the Year.

It’s worth noting however that voting for Project of the Year has been suspended during the national period of mourning, following the death of Her Majesty the Queen.

It is anticipated it will resume around September 20.

Winners will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their project and an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy.

Muslim Girls Fence is a collaboration between Maslaha and British Fencing which aims to facilitate spaces at a grassroots level for Muslim girls and women to challenge assumptions and narratives relating to their gender, racial, religious and other identities through both physical and creative methods.

They hold workshops in Doncaster as well as London, Birmingham and Bradford.

Fencing has predominantly been viewed as an elitist sport reserved for those from privileged, white backgrounds, but Muslim Girls Fence seeks to change that.

This programme physically confronts the stereotypes of fencers while also working to skewer society’s misconceptions about Muslim women, a group who face complex discrimination on the basis of both faith and gender.

Before they fence, they begin sessions with workshops exploring themes of identity and self-expression through creative exercises such as collaging, drawing, photography and poetry.

The young women report feeling more confident and enjoy being immersed in a new activity afterwards.

Allia Fredericks, Senior Project Manager for Muslim Girls Fence at Maslaha, commented: “We are delighted that Muslim Girls Fence (MGF) is a finalist in this year’s National Lottery Awards.

“National Lottery funding meant that we could continue to deliver and facilitate spaces for girls during covid – and particularly Muslim Girls – to verbally, creatively and physically challenge assumptions related to their identities which negatively impact their wellbeing and experiences. Such a space is rarely afforded in the context of Covid, Islamophobia, the cost-of-living crisis, sexism. MGF provides a crucial space for girls to find their power in their community, reinstate them as their own storytellers and to bolster their confidence, wellbeing and find their power through fencing, creativity, care and community.

“We hope to inspire other young people to confront and challenge expectations of themselves. It would be an amazing tribute to all the dedication and hard work of our coaches, young people, artists and team members to win Project of the Year in the National Lottery Awards.”

We will bring you an updated voting schedule when we receive it.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Dominic Brown, editor.