Female football volunteers across the county came together for a special occasion on Friday.

The Kent FA, supported by the Eighth Wonder Programme, ran a first of its kind event in the county, to unite and support female volunteers in the grassroots game.

The Eighth Wonder Programme aims to take 14-20 year-old girls and equip them with the confidence, esteem and skills to pursue a career in football. Along with the Kent FA, they were keen to recognise the work women volunteers take part in every day for the good of the game.

Nearly 30 women from across Kent gathered at the county FA’s head office Invicta House, Aylesford, to meet like-minded women involved in grassroots football, to share experiences and challenges and gain valuable insights from key Kent FA colleagues.

Kent FA’s football development officer (women and girls), Natalie Curtis, said: “The event provided a great opportunity for Kent FA to gain insight into the struggles and successes of some of its female workforce.

“The willingness to share experiences and offer advice was incredible and is something we hope to bottle up and use on a greater scale throughout the season.

“Grassroots football is built on the hard work and passion of our volunteers and we hope to support them in whichever path their journey takes them.”

Denise Richmond - the first woman to be elected to chair the KCFA - is passionate about supporting volunteers across the game and added: “Without volunteers in football we couldn’t survive and this event was inspiring and rewarding for us all. It allowed us to share experiences, offer support and advice.

“So uniting, to create a support network for the future. I am so looking forward to the next one.”

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