Lewes girls have designs on football - and other opportunities

Lewes FC Women’s captain Rhian Cleverly nipped down to a training session for the club’s under-14s training before Christmas with some presents.
A poster for the Lewes-Durham game at the Dripping Pan on January 10, designed by Tate Willis, 12, and featuring goalie Laura HartleyA poster for the Lewes-Durham game at the Dripping Pan on January 10, designed by Tate Willis, 12, and featuring goalie Laura Hartley
A poster for the Lewes-Durham game at the Dripping Pan on January 10, designed by Tate Willis, 12, and featuring goalie Laura Hartley

She handed over to the club’s would-be young designers and footballers some of the Championship side’s recent matchday posters that they had designed.

Girls from Lewes’ pathway teams were invited to a girl-led design project facilitated by London-based duo Sisterhood, which involved the youngsters designing the first team’s matchday posters for the season.

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The girls interviewed and photographed first team players over Zoom during lockdown and learnt expert skills in Photoshop, photography, design and presentation over a six-week course.

Lewes Pathway co-ordinator Alison Palmer, Lewes FC Women’s captain Rhian Cleverly and under-14s designers Esme Clarke, Ffion Carnell and Amelie Purcell;Lewes Pathway co-ordinator Alison Palmer, Lewes FC Women’s captain Rhian Cleverly and under-14s designers Esme Clarke, Ffion Carnell and Amelie Purcell;
Lewes Pathway co-ordinator Alison Palmer, Lewes FC Women’s captain Rhian Cleverly and under-14s designers Esme Clarke, Ffion Carnell and Amelie Purcell;

Skipper Cleverly was impressed by young Amy Knock’s questions over her Zoom interview. She said: “Amy grilled me like a pro - she could have given Alex Scott a run for her money!”

Lewes’ Pathway cordinator Alison Palmer said: ‘The girls were buzzing after the project. It was a superb distraction in a tough year, and it was wonderful to see them share their ideas and try stuff out. There was a clear and direct link from being brave and creative in design to being brave and creative on the pitch too! I’m seeing confidence build and it’s great.’

Club co-director Karen Dobres added: ‘We were delighted to work with Sisterhood. It felt powerful to link our girls with their elders in this creative way, because Lewes FC Women are excellent role models to aspire to. The project has in fact enabled all our female footballers to inspire each other.

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“We love the posters we’ve seen so far – the Zoom pictures and fierce quotes in bold colours really reflect how we’ve carried on safely during the pandemic. We’ve been playing matches behind closed doors, or with Covid-capped crowds – using our creativity and connections, and refusing to allow our Rooks spirit to be dampened!’

Lewes FC, formed in 1885. became the first professional or semi-professional football club to pay its women’s team the same as its men’s team in 2017.

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