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Psychology student to address national conference

Posted on 17 February 2015

Ellie Whittaker will help Women’s Football Festival to boost cancer charity.

Third year psychology student Ellie Whittaker has been invited to be a keynote speaker at the national Women’s Football Festival in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. The event is organised by British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) and will be hosted by the University of York on Friday 6th March. Other keynote speakers are Karen Rothery (BUCS CEO), Clare Cunningham (Olympic Paratriathlete and Deloitte Manager), and Jo Drapier (Community Manager Sport England). You can support Ellie, and Marie Curie Cancer Care by coming along to the event.

Ellie is the current president of the University’s Women’s Football Club (UYWAFC), a club who have doubled in size in the past year, and are one of the best performing clubs in the University. After losing three family members to cancer between May and September 2014, she was inspired to get involved with Marie Curie to raise funds and awareness. She said, “After losing my Nana, cousin and Uncle to cancer in 2014, I saw first hand the invaluable work that Marie Curie nurses do at the end of someone’s life, in order to make the end as comfortable as possible. After BUCS announced Marie Curie Cancer Care as their official charity partner from 2014-16, I knew I wanted to help with the fundraising effort through my involvement with university sport.”

UYWAFC took part in BUCS Women’s Football Week, a nationwide initiative whereby BUCS would donate £1000 if 3000 new participants were engaged with football, and were incredibly successful. Ellie said, “Through women’s football week, we were able to attract almost 50 new members to our club, causing it to double in size! This did not go unnoticed by BUCS, and once coupled with my work with Marie Curie, they gave us the privilege of hosting the women’s football festival in March.”

The women’s football festival will serve as a celebration of women in leadership, and everyone is welcome to attend! From 12-3pm at the Ron Cooke Hub, Heslington East campus, there will be an event for students with the BUCS CEO, Deloitte and Sport England all speaking, and then between 4-6pm 100 local schoolgirls will be invited to attend a coaching session with high profile women’s super league footballers.

Cass Brown, York Sport President was thrilled that York has been chosen to host the event: “I'm thrilled BUCS have chosen York to host the National Women's Football Festival on 6th March. It demonstrates York's commitment to female sport and is testament to the incredibly hard work of the Women's Football Committee. Louise Robinson, YUSU Sport Participation Manager echoed this further: 'Women's Football Week has acted as a catalyst to engage students in a variety of activities within the students union including sport, fundraising, campaigning and network issues.  It has been great to support Ellie in her fundraising and establishing this event.  I would encourage anyone to come down to the Ron Cooke Hub on the 6th March to find out about the This Girl Can Campaign, Leadership in Sport and Marie Curie.”

For more information please contact Ellie Whittaker and to book tickets visit the eventbrite ticketing site.