Starling stays on the ball with £28k donation for women footballers

The bank is continuing its commitment to help level the playing field with 28 grants for teams and players.

To describe the Lionesses’ performance in the UEFA Women’s Euros as a success would be a vast understatement.

Borrowing from another sport across the pond, they knocked it out of the park.

We will no doubt be witnessing the after effects of their great achievements for a long time to come, and Starling Bank has committed to making sure we do.

The UK’s first female founded bank, which was the official banking partner of the tournament, is now donating £28,000 to emerging players and grassroots football clubs.

23 grants of £1,000 will be donated to clubs based in each of the tournament’s nine host cities and venues across the UK, with the remaining money going to five up-and-coming players that have been selected with the help of SportsAid.

“We sponsored the UEFA Women’s EURO because we want to lift women up wherever we can, especially in male dominated spaces like football and banking,” Starling chief banking officer Helen Bierton said.

“The tournament might be over, but this is not the time to drop the ball – it’s time to focus on how much further football can go. We hope our donation plays a part in that.”

The donation follows the bank’s ‘Our Time’ campaign, which highlights glass ceilings that are continuously being smashed by women in not just banking, but in sport and technology as well.

Starling also partnered with three ambassadors for the campaign that represent the “past, present and future” of the women’s game.

These include this year’s winners Lauren Hemp and Jill Scott MBE, as well as former Arsenal Women’s player turned TV presenter Rachel Yankey OBE.

“The Lionesses brought it home. It was a message to girls everywhere that they deserve to be on that pitch and they shouldn’t have to fight for the right to,” Scott said.

“Now, they need equal training opportunities and dedicated resources, which grants from SportsAid and sponsors like Starling Bank support, so that when they rise through the ranks of football in years to come, the playing field is truly level.”