Jenny Wilkes, Chairperson of Wolves Girls and Women, has paid tribute to Baroness Rachael Heyhoe Flint, following Rachael’s avid support and development of Wolves Women.
Jenny speaks fondly about the support that Rachael offered both the women’s club and herself.
She says: “I first met Rachael in the 1990s, when I was a presenter at BBC WM and Rachael was looking after public relations and community work for Wolves – my club! She was always such a ball of energy, leaving a whirlwind in her wake as she dashed around the place, organising, introducing, sorting, helping.
“My radio shows often took me out and about and Rachael fixed it for me to broadcast live from behind the scenes at Molineux, including the dressing room before a match. I even joined the players at a Christmas Day training session. Whatever I asked, she would do her best to make it happen. She had such a great way of talking people into things.
“That must be how I once found myself alongside her on the pitch at Molineux at half time, taking part in a penalty shoot-out for charity. Rachael enthusiastically struck the ball straight into my stomach …and it certainly packed a punch!
“At the time the women’s football club was a separate entity. It had been granted permission by Wolves to use its name, but it was completely self-supporting and struggling to survive. When I took over as Chair in 1999, Rachael was the first person I turned to for help.
“By this time she was a Director at Wolves, sitting on the board alongside Sir Jack – the man she had persuaded to sponsor the England Women’s cricket team back in 1970. With an illustrious career behind her, captaining her country to victory in the 1973 cricket World Cup, she knew all about the struggles of women in male-dominated sports.
“We think we face chauvinism in women’s football today, but Rachael used to tell me about her battle to be admitted to the male-only MCC. She was not deterred by the “grumpy old men” and achieved a real victory for sports women everywhere when she became the first woman elected to the MCC committee in 2004. She laughed off the rude and objectionable comments, and breezed her way through until they had to submit!
“Rachael joined the board at Wolves Women, and was a great support, with help, advice, and a softly-softly approach which saw us gradually accepted into the Wolves fold. At home games she’d be seen walking her dog around the perimeter of the pitch, shouting her support as she went.
“With Wolves Girls and Women now firmly part of the club, that seems like a lifetime ago. Wolves Community Trust has taken us on board, and we now run an FA Regional Talent Centre for girls, as well as an Under 18s and senior side. I can’t begin to say what a key role Rachael played in all this – forging the way for us and sportswomen everywhere.
Wolves will be holding a minute’s silence in honour of Rachael at this Sunday’s Birmingham County Cup game against The University of Warwick at Hednesford Town FC. Kick off is 2pm.
Source – wolves.co.uk
