£3,000 has been raised by players from the Make Football Accessible Match, which will go directly to remove financial barriers for girls from South London to participate in football.
On Saturday 24th August 2024, Girls United FA (GU), a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering girls through football, hosted their first fundraising match to launch their Make Football Accessible in partnership with Alleyn’s School.
27 individuals from the South London community came together to fundraise to support the GU community pricing offer, which focuses on removing financial barriers by providing access to football from £1 per season. The day saw the community come together to celebrate accessible football on and off the pitch through a competitive match and insightful and inspiring networking panel.
The Griffins vs The Lanes, managed by special guests Lois Roche and Hannah Godfrey vs GU staff, Lee Webb and Sabina Hollywood saw a closely contested game resulting in a 5-4 win to the Griffins. The rain didn’t stop the GU community coming to cheer on players with mascots walking out from local programmes.
The players of the match were awarded to individuals who were highlighted for showing “inspiring” qualities and rewarded with our partners’ in-kind donations to provide a match day experience deserved thanks to the fundraising efforts of individuals.
Abigail Ingram, GU London manager, reflected: “It was an incredible day where the local community united to kickstart the Make Football Accessible Campaign. The day empowered our partners to commit to accessibility of the sport in the upcoming season, ahead of the 2025 Women’s Euros. We are so grateful for Alleyn’s continued dedication in helping us bring our mission to life and grow opportunities for young females in South London.”
“Having key stakeholders and emerging voices inspire our audience was powerful! We are grateful to Lois and Hannah for sharing their experiences as professionals and making that accessible for the next generation. But the highlight for me was seeing players cheer on their coaches, parents, guardians, and our community coming together to ensure free and discounted sessions for players next season!”
Lois Roche and Hannha Godfrey, winning team managers and panel speakers; “Thank you to GU for putting on an incredible event. It’s amazing to be around like minded people with the same passion and dedication to support the next generation and help grow the women’s game just like we do at Pro2Pro. It’s so important that everyone has the equal opportunity to fulfil their potential, or to just simply enjoy the game that we all love. We look forward to working together in the future to break down barriers and make football accessible to all.”
Ali Speechly, Make Football Accessible Panel Host: “It was a privilege to host such an amazing panel on Saturday and discuss the importance of making football accessible for everyone. There are so many benefits to playing sport - not just physical, but psychological and social as well - and all girls should have access to these benefits. We also want to see our football teams at every level reflect the diverse communities in our city, and making football accessible to everyone at a grassroots level is an essential part of this. GU is a brilliant organisation doing vital work in the community and, as a South Londoner myself, it is a genuine pleasure to support them.”
Partners
Girls United would like to thank everyone involved in supporting and delivering the first Girls United Make Football Accessible Campaign Event:
Alleyn’s School
Pro 2 Pro Academy - Lois Roche and Hannah Godfrey
Kit Locker
Morrisons - Peckham
Redemption Roasters - Dulwich Village
Jade Beason
Dulwich Hamlet Supporters
Extra Mile Athletes - James Morse
Check out images here.
Notes:
For more information, please contact Girls United, London Manager, abigail@girlsunitedfa.org
Girls United FA: Girls United removes barriers to football, building pathways that empower girls and women to fulfil their potential, on and off the pitch.
Make Football Accessible Donation Page:
https://www.kindlink.com/fundraising/Girls-United-Football-Association/makefootballaccessible
Alleyn’s School is a leading HMC co-educational school for children aged 4-18, nestled in the creative heart of south London with a cherished history dating back to their founding by Edward Alleyn in 1619.
Alleyn’s sport inspires and challenges every pupil to embrace their passions and achieve beyond what they thought possible, to be all they can be.
Alleyn’s and Girls United partnership: The partnership has led to the creation of a local hub for female football and has certainly helped to fuel the growth and popularity of the sport among girls locally. There have been several events within the community, including a club signing-on night for girls looking to join Girls United, held at Alleyn’s sports pavilion. Girls United and Alleyn’s pupils also recently visited St George’s Park to see the Lionesses in training, which proved to be a memorable and inspiring experience for all involved.
