TASTER sessions are being held to encourage girls to play football.br>Thanks to a collaboration between Dawlish United and Devon County Football Association, girls are being offered the chance to learn the game.br>Dawlish United Youth and Mini Soccer FC have been working closely with the Devon FA to increase the opportunities for girls to play and the club has already run the sessions at seven primary schools in the area.br>A festival day was also held at the beginning of the summer.br>Matt Hodgson, women's and girls' development officer for the Devon FA, has helped the club deliver the sessions and has been impressed with the level of interest from schools.br>He said: 'It has been great to see the enthusiasm shown by the girls during the taster sessions in the primary schools.br>'At present there are no affiliated girls' football teams within the surrounding area, the nearest based in Exeter or Newton Abbot.br>'The number of girls who have attended the taster sessions has been fantastic, which shows that the interest is there.'br>Following on from that success, Dawlish United has now started running girls' training sessions on Saturday mornings. They take place at Dawlish Leisure Centre mini soccer pitches between 9.30am and 11am for girls aged up to 11.br>The first session is free; subsequent ones cost £1.50 per session.br>Dawlish United is an FA charter standard community club, the highest level achievable within the FA structure.br>The club currently have 15 teams from under 6s and 7s up to two adult sides and are heavily involved in providing football for the youth and people of Dawlish.br>All coaches are FA qualified, have passed FA emergency first aid course, attended the FA Safeguarding Children workshop and have undergone CRB checks.br>For more details, contact Paul Donohue, Dawlish United chairman, on 01626 888970, Shane Bowler, secretary, on 07868 235825 or call Matt on 01626 325919.