Page 29 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.22 2022-23

On Wednesday 8 March – International Women’s Day - over 200,000 schoolgirls are set to take
part in The FA and Barclays’ second Biggest Ever Football Session, as part of the Let Girls Play
campaign. A record breaking number of primary and secondary schools have signed up to deliver
football sessions on the day and affirm their commitment to providing girls with equal access to
football.
Last year, 90,000 girls took part in the inaugural Biggest Ever Football Session, and after an
incredible year for women’s football, with England winning the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022
tournament, the number of registered girls has more than doubled this year.
Media events in London, Birmingham and Manchester will feature key FA spokespeople
including Director of Women’s Football, Baroness Sue Campbell, and Head of Development,
Louise Gear. Also in attendance will be Barclays football ambassadors, Kelly Smith, and Ian Wright
as lead partners of the event. In total over 1,200 primary and secondary school girls will take part
in the media events across the country.
The Let Girls Play campaign was launched in October 2021 to support The FA’s strategic
ambition to provide girls with equal access to football. The campaign is supported by Barclays as
part of its record-breaking investment in women’s and girls’ football and long-standing
commitment to the sport.
To find out more about the campaign and sign up to the Biggest Ever Football Session go to:
www.englandfootball.com/LetGirlsPlay. To join the movement via social media, follow Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter using #LetGirlsPlay.

Representatives from the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) clubs, Barclays Women’s
Championship (BWC) clubs and the FA have set up a working group to develop a long term vision
and an ambitious business plan for the women’s professional game in England.
The Group consists of the Senior Executives of ten BWSL and BWC clubs, and will be led by
Nikki Doucet, who has been appointed by the FA as an independent consultant to facilitate the
working group.
Representatives on the Working Group are:
Paul Barber OBE – Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman, Brighton and Hove Albion
Baroness Karren Brady CBE – Vice Chairman, West Ham United
Omar Berrada – Chief Football Operations Officer, Manchester City
Diane Culligan – Chairwoman and Founder, London City Lionesses
Maggie Murphy – Chief Executive, Lewes
Steve Parish – Chairman, Crystal Palace
Christian Purslow – Chief Executive, Aston Villa
Martin Semmens – Chief Executive, Southampton
Patrick Stewart – Director, Manchester United
Vinai Venkatesham – Chief Executive, Arsenal (Chair of the working group)
Dawn Airey - Chair of BWSL and BWC Board
Baroness Sue Campbell – FA Director of Women's Football
Nikki Doucet brings a wealth of global experience in the sports business, in private equity, in
investment banking and as an advisor and angel investor in several UK start-ups. She led the
women's business in the UK for Nike and is passionate about working collaboratively with all
stakeholders to grow the women's game.

Barry Town United U15 and Abergavenny U16 will meet in the 2023 FAW Girls' Cup final following
their semi final victories on Sunday.
news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk