Momentum is building in the fight for the equality and increased participation of women in sport. Campaigns such as #TaketheStage fronted by Marianne Vos, #LikeaGirl from Always and Glamour Magazine’s Say No to Sexism in Sport have all seen viral success over the past year alone.

Encouraging women to take part in sport is so important – the physical and mental benefits are endless. And one of the most important things for anyone to remember is that participating in sport really is whatever you want it to be. It should never be intimidating. It can be as competitive or as social as you want it to be. As bike brand, Specialized, puts it so succinctly in its tagline – Your Ride, Your Rules. And this doesn’t just apply to cycling, it applies to every sport, every form of physical exercise.

The latest addition in the bid to encourage women to participate to get active comes from the National Lottery and Sport England and we think it is brilliant.

A series of videos entitled ‘This Girl Can’ features a number of awesome women who are getting out there, doing their thing, their way. From a single mum called Kelly who gets her fitness kicks in her living room, surrounded by her kids, to Grace who shows us that she may not have a fancy bike, or be dressed top to toe in high end cycling gear, or go very fast for that matter, but she is still a cyclist you’ll find it hard to watch these videos and not feel inspired to lead a more active lifestyle.

So go on, give them a watch and please do tell us what you think. And of course feel free to share your fitness story with us on Twitter using #ThisGirlCan.