We were delighted to host a special event at the Brightwell last Friday evening organised by Bradley Stoke Town Council. A huge thank you to Sharon Patela - Town Clerk, Libby Jordan, Natalie Field - Mayor and all the council members who attended for their support on the day.
The purpose of the evening was to highlight how far women have come in football and the ongoing fight for recognition, equality, and respect in the sport. We had a special screening of Copa 71, a groundbreaking documentary that tells the untold story of the 1971 Women’s World Cup, a tournament that drew crowds of over 100,000 people but was largely forgotten in history.
Long before the Lionesses and the rise of women’s football on the global stage, the 1971 Women’s World Cup in Mexico proved that there was a huge appetite for the women’s game, even when the sport’s governing bodies refused to recognise it. Teams from around the world competed in packed stadiums, yet their efforts were dismissed and erased from mainstream football history.
This film sheds light on the trailblazing women who defied the odds and paved the way for today's generation of female footballers.
There were two key speakers; Natalie Field, Mayor for Bradley Stoke introduced the event and welcomed all those who attended, around 40 people! and Doro, Brightwell CEO talked about her experiences of some of the qualities needed to be successful as a woman in Business, Charity and Sport.
As you will see in the photos, we were also fortunate to have the Bradley Stoke Town Council “Red Dress” on display during the event.
The Red Dress Project was set up 14 years ago and had hundreds if not thousands of women embroidering panels as an account of their lives, experiences and culture, this is a global project.
Many Town Councils have taken part in an initiative to have their very own Red Dress, decorated by and representative of the local community . The Brightwell is hoping to add a patch to the dress too. It will be great to be part of this celebratory garment for future generations to view.
Thank you to everyone involved, it was a really successful evening – a great community collaboration.
Comments