A MOCHDRE women’s football team are heading to the continent later this week to compete at a special event.

The Mochdre Lionesses, who were formed in 2017, will be taking their place at the inaugural Old Girls’ World Cup in France on Friday, June 21.

This is the first time an event for adult beginners and women over 30 like this has been organised in Europe, with the tournament being held as part of the ongoing activities during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The competition is part of a growing movement to encourage older ladies to enjoy football, and it has been organised by Carol Bates of Crawley Old Girls FC, Siona Murray of the Lionesses and Jo Treharne, who is associated with Canterbury Old Bags.

Bates is the inspiration behind several projects promoting women’s recreational football, including the formation of a Houses of Parliament women’s team who played their inaugural match against Crawley last week.

The main event during the World Cup day will be a participatory festival of seven-a-side matches, during which around 20 teams will each represent one of the national teams competing in the FIFAWWC.

It will take place at the home of Soissons FC, which is located north of Paris.

The Lionesses will be contributing signed Cardiff Women’s and Wales Women’s football shirts for raffles and auctions during the day, for the benefit of local women’s charities, and they are the only team from the regional competing at the event.

They now have around 20 women as part of the squad on a consistent basis, and the squad compete in the Cheshire Inspire League.

Anyone wishing to join the club can get further information on their Facebook page, with training held every Tuesday evening at Mochdre Sports Club.