While Watford FC regularly supports a variety of national campaigns as part of our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion work, we have been looking at ways of running our own awareness campaigns at key points across the season, to highlight our 24/7, 365 days a year approach to making our club as inclusive as possible.
The first such campaign, ‘Hornets Pride Week’, ran in December 2022 during that year’s World Cup, following conversations with our Proud Hornets LGBTQ+ supporters’ group about the negative press centered around the tournament.
Following the success of the project, which we decided to reprise for the 2023/24 season, we chose to add a campaign focusing on women, with the aim of inspiring inclusion and amplifying the voices of women connected to the club.
Watford has a proud and long-standing tradition of leading the way in football’s drive to be inclusive and women have always played a hugely important role, whether they are behind-the-scenes staff members, players or supporters.
The idea was discussed at length with our Women of Watford supporters’ group and our Her Game Too ambassador, with activation ideas discussed in person at a meeting in early January. Staff from the club’s Community, Sports & Education Trust were also involved in the planning.
Launch
The campaign was officially launched on February 28, with a web article and social media posts. The club’s design team produced a series of graphics which were used throughout the campaign.
The week was due to start at the women’s team match against Charlton Athletic on March 3, but the weather intervened and the match was sadly postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
On March 5 the Trust’s Premier League Inspires programme invited more than 100 girls from seven different schools to take part in an event hosted in the dome at Watford FC’s training ground.
The event got underway with the girls taking part in a football skill school run by our school sports team, with girls working on developing shooting, passing, dribbling and their communication and leadership skills.
This led into a thought-provoking youth voice session in which girls discussed the barriers females face in sport, why there is a lack of female leaders in the men’s game and how we can overcome issues that so many females are facing in sports and society.
The day was rounded off with a discussion panel featuring Watford FC Women’s General Manager, Helen Ward, and Frances Lynn, one of the organisers of the Women of Watford supporters’ group. The young people in attendance learnt about the backstories of these two inspirational women associated with Watford FC and were able to ask questions to our panel guests.
Also on March 5, the Trust hosted a webinar for people to learn more about how physical activity can support people through the mennopause.
Around 20 people attended and information was shared on why people should exercise during the menopause and what activities are available in the local area. Many of the people who attended the webinar found the session to be informative.
Feedback from one attendee said: "It was great to hear more about the benefits of exercise from a reliable source, and of options available in Watford."
At half-time in the draw with Swansea City on March 6, Women of Watford founder Kate Lewers was interviewed alongside Her Game Too director Amy Clement about Women at the Game Week, as well as all the good work both organisations continue to carry out.
Her Game Too is a voluntary campaign led by a team of dedicated female football fans from several clubs who are passionate about creating a positive change in football and the wider sporting world. Founded in May 2021, Her Game Too aims to raise awareness and educate on the importance of inclusivity and diversity in sport.
The Women of Watford supporters’ group, also founded in 2021, is a supporters’ group for the club’s female fans and their allies. Activities range from organising group bookings for away matches and hosting social events, to campaigning to make football more inclusive for everyone and to inspire and empower future generations of female fans.
On March 7 we launched a website article titled What Watford FC Means To Me. With contributions from staff, players and employees from the Club and Trust, the article was also shared in the programme for the Coventry City match on March 9.
To celebrate Women at the Game Week, the club’s retail team produced a range of Her Game Too/WoW merchandise, which was made available to buy online during the week. Full details of the range can be found HERE.
Her Game Too and Women of Watford arm patches were also created, which supporters can have added to their kit and other merchandise at the club shop.
The Trust schools team encouraged our partner schools, community programmes and Junior Hornets to create a flag for WoW that shows women’s achievements and helps to raise awareness of creating a fair and equal world for all.
A flag using the winning design was created and the winner will have the chance to wave it at a future home match when the teams come out of the tunnel, as they were unavailable to do this at the Coventry City match.
Ahead of the Coventry match, our commercial team were involved in ensuring that big screen ads for both Her Game Too and WoW appeared throughout the match.
Our Supporter Services team hosted Her Game Too and WoW in the matchday family fun zone ahead of the Coventry game.
Members of WoW were able to give out badges and interact with the Junior Hornets who came to the fun zone, with a selfie board on hand for pictures.
Women’s team captain and WoW ambassador Megan Chandler, along with team-mates Annie Rossiter and Ali Palisch, were joined by Ann Swanson, who led the club’s family enclosure in the 1980s and is currently the patron of the Junior Hornets, to greet the families.
Finally, members of WoW who are regular participants in the group bookings which are arranged for every Watford away match joined the club as our guests in the Sky Lounge for the Coventry City match.
"This year’s International Women's Day theme was Inspire Inclusion. That's what I want Women at the Game week to represent, and this year was a great starting point,” said Lewers.
“Showing our female fans, players and staff that you are included, there is a place and a space for you, and you are wanted at this club is important. Graham Taylor’s legacy is of Watford being the original family club, and I feel that Women at the Game Week is just yet another example of how we are continuing just that."
“We have absolutely loved being a part of Women At The Game week,” said Clement.
“To be partnered with a club who values every single supporter in the way Watford FC does is a privilege. We are so grateful for all the work they do for women in the club and the community and that was very evident over this period. To celebrate women in football is important, as it shows all generations that football is a game for all and, for us, that younger generation is key to creating a more equitable future.”
Dave Messenger, the club's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead, added: “Our Women at the Game Week campaign was inspired by the many brilliant, dedicated and talented women I'm proud to work with, from our club, our CSE Trust, our players, our supporters, and right across the game.
“Allyship isn't just a word, it's what we do at Watford. We’re already looking forward to seeing how we can make this campaign an even bigger success next season.”
Following the success of the week and discussions with the Women of Watford supporters’ group and our Her Game Too ambassador, Women at the Game Week will return during the 2024/25 season on dates to be agreed between the group and the club when the fixtures are released.
