International Women's Day: Lionesses Campaign Pays Off And Lewes FC Women Win Sponsorship Deal

A campaign by the Lionesses has paid off as girls are being granted equal access to play football at school and, locally, Lewes FC have won sponsorship from two Sussex businesses.

Sky News has reported this morning that girls will be granted equal access to all school sports as part of a package of measures unveiled by the government following a campaign by the Lionesses.

Schools will be told they must deliver a minimum of two hours of PE each week and that girls and boys should be able to play the same sports in lessons and extra-curricular clubs.

It comes after England's Lionesses squad launched a campaign urging the government to pass measures to ensure that all girls get the chance to play football at school following their Euros 2022 win last summer. 

England women's captain Leah Williamson said:

"The success of the summer has inspired so many young girls to pursue their passion for football.

"We see it as our responsibility to open the doors for them to do so and this announcement makes that possible. This is the legacy that we want to live much longer than us as a team."

The announcement comes just over six months after the government was accused of jeopardising the Lionesses' legacy by overseeing the continued sell-off of school playing fields.

Data obtained by the Liberal Democrats showed that 94 schools had sold their playing fields since January 2015, although some have been replaced with indoor sports facilities.

The move unveiled by the government coincides with International Women's Day.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Last year the Lionesses' victory changed the game. Young girls know when they take to the pitch that football is for them and, thanks to the Lionesses, they too could be a part of the next generation to bring it home for their country."

The government said the measures would be backed by over £600million in funding over the next two academic years, specifically designed to help improve the quality of PE and sports in primary schools.

Following their 2-1 victory against Germany last summer, the Lionesses called on then-Conservative leader candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to ensure that young girls have access and support to play football at school.

In an open letter co-signed by all members of the squad, they wrote that women's football "has come a long way but it still has a long way to go".

https://news.sky.com/story/lionesses-campaign-pays-off-as-girls-granted-equal-access-to-sport-12828437

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Locally, two Sussex organisations with local roots and global reach are celebrating International Women’s Day with the announcement of a sponsorship deal and the start of a long-term relationship.

The English Soap Company has agreed to sponsor three Lewes FC players (Frankie Angel #32, Jamie Rita #15 and Zoe Smith #17) and the manager of the women’s team Scott Booth because the club’s values align closely with its own.

Lewes FC Jamie Rita and Oliver Butts

Lewes FC is the first and only club in the world to pay its male and female players the same salary while The English Soap Company senior management team is more than 50 per cent female. Overall the workforce is female dominated with no gender-biased roles in the factory and a zero-gender pay gap like Lewes FC.

Lewes FC is careful with its brand alignment and concurs with the equality and sustainability ethos of The English Soap Company. The club also likes that the products are cruelty free and made in East Sussex.

Oliver Butts, Managing Director of The English Soap Company, said:

“We are thrilled to be sponsoring three female players and the manager at Lewes FC. It’s the only club in the world to have a zero gender pay gap and is setting a fantastic example for the sporting and corporate world. My company shares the same values, so we are delighted to be supporting the club in this way. We also want to set an example to fellow businesses, supporters of Lewes FC and our customers that we should be assisting organisations that practise and promote equality.”

Lewes FC Director Willa Bailey, one of the youngest female directors in the FA, added:

“We’re delighted to be working with The English Soap Company. It’s essential for the club’s success to work with brands that have a similar social impact ethos and working together offers benefits for both organisations. Lewes FC and The English Soap Company mirror each other in many other ways, especially the fact that we’re both local organisations that have a global reach.”

Another synergy is that The English Soap Company and Lewes FC both have connections with Chailey Heritage Foundation. The English Soap Company employee Heather’s daughter Issy has been looked after by the charity, while the father of one of Lewes FC’s staff members is a trustee. The club plans to work with the charity more in the future.

Lewes Football Club is a community owned, semi-professional football club based in Lewes, East Sussex, England. In July 2017 the club became the first professional or semi-professional football club to pay its women's team the same as its men's team. They were Division One South runners-up in 2017–18, earning promotion back to the Premier Division.