Lioness star Nikita Parris joined 20 girls from Chadderton FC’s youth teams for a rainy training session Tuesday to celebrate National Lottery funding that has transformed women’s grassroots football ahead of England’s Women’s Euros semi-final against Italy.

The 31-year-old forward, who began her own football journey at Kingsley United in Liverpool, returned to community pitch level as National Lottery officials highlighted their £6 billion investment in grassroots sport over three decades. The funding has created more than 500,000 opportunities for women and girls through programs including the UEFA Women’s EURO Legacy initiative.

Parris watched the Chadderton girls train on their £1.4 million 3G pitch, funded partly through a £950,000 National Lottery grant from the Football Foundation’s Lioness Fund. The club, located near where England midfielder Keira Walsh started playing, has expanded from zero girls’ teams five years ago to five squads ranging from under-11 to under-16 levels.

“It definitely has captivated young players, because they’re out here in the rain, enjoying a session powered by The National Lottery,” Parris said. “The young girls are out there having fun, ultimately creating memories, and having some celebrations from the Women’s Euros.”

The club now boasts 150 registered female players—more than 20 percent of total membership—according to coach Sophie Julien. Chadderton FC recently hosted a Big Football Day event as part of National Lottery-funded initiatives across England encouraging female participation, with plans to introduce Wildcats sessions for younger girls and expand programming across all age groups.

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