Thanks to Gudrun Jevne, Women’s Development Coordinator at Street League, and Rebecca Malcolm for this report:

Great weather, great football, great spirit, great people! – What more could one want for Street League’s 2nd women’s only match day?! Lunch and refreshments? Tick. Over 40 participants? Tick. Skilful organisation from a committed staff team? Tick. A Mercury Music Award Winner in the bright and brilliant Speech Debelle? Tick!

The rising hip hop star, fresh on the heels of her win at the prestigious music awards, attended the tournament and handed out prizes to all the winning teams. Speech felt a particular affinity with the programme, as it focuses on getting under represented groups into sport – in particular homeless women, and she raps openly about her own experiences with homelessness and when she was living in hostels.

Street League uses the power of sport to engage with anyone not in full time education and employment. The match days act as a hook to engage with participants who can go on to do coaching qualifications, sports leadership, drama, self-defence, circus skills, job skills and motivational workshops. These are brilliant as a springboard to employment, education and training. Read more

The first Street League women’s only match day was held on Wednesday 15th July 2009, celebrating and marking the increased participation of women on Street League’s programmes.

Prize Winners

Fifty fantastic players from eight different teams took part. Two teams were from Street League’s own training sessions – Street League Ladies and Somers Town. Six were community teams from all over London: Crouch End Tigers, Camden Town, Look Ahead, Winchester Project, Diversity and Charlton Angels. Read more