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Photo: Alex Ingram

When Women in Football’s first official meeting took place in 2007, journalist Emma John remarked: “It's hugely exciting to think that something so informal and friendly is actually going to affect one of the highest-profile industries in the UK, that a powerful cadre of women are about to start changing football from the inside; and all because we took the time simply to introduce ourselves to each other and listen to each other's stories.”

That cadre has since grown to represent almost 12,000 female, male and non-binary members. The industry may have mushroomed in size, power and financial value, yet the concept of a community remains very much the essence of WIF.

The motivation for joining WIF may be manifold. In the case of Tracy Light, a sense of curiosity during Covid lockdown took her in a direction she never imagined.

“A friend mentioned I might be interested in joining WIF, so I followed her recommendation and within a week had signed up for a webinar,” she recalls. “A publisher was talking about a book they were going to be writing. Ten writers were already confirmed, but they were looking for another ten to supply unique stories too. I literally came off the webinar and wrote 5,000 words off the top of my head because I was so inspired.

“I was convinced I would never hear anything further but was asked if I wanted my story to be one of those published. I was absolutely blown away to be part of it. I bought a whole box and was giving them away to people!”

The concept was the brainchild of Ian Ridley whose late wife Vikki Orvice was a founder and board member of WIF. Football, She Wrote: An Anthology of Women's Writing on the Game was billed as "a unique collection of 20 women's voices on the game they love. Penned by a group of experienced and new writers... it is an anthology to make you think and feel, laugh and cry”.

 

 

An inclusive community

Tracy Light’s story is one of strength, and hope. In 2004 her eldest son was born with Down’s syndrome. At the age of eight, Thomas began to show an interest in football, but finding a place where he truly belonged wasn’t easy. Time and again, Tracy and her husband Nick came up against closed doors – until they discovered St Albans City Youth FC, a club that welcomed Thomas with open arms. For the first time, football became more than just a game; it was a community where he could grow, play, and shine and it made a huge impact at school, at home and socially.

“The club had an established inclusive section, and I ended up volunteering there. I soon realised there were no opportunities for the inclusive players to play matches,” says Tracy. “So in 2016, I worked alongside other inclusive coaches from clubs in Hertfordshire and with Watford FC Community Trust to create an inclusive league for children aged seven to 20 to play regular matches like their peers. I ended up being the league secretary for over seven years.”

Before long, Tracy was hooked by the power of football and driven by a mission to create change. In 2020 she was asked to lead the inclusive section at St Albans City Youth FC. “We'd been working hard towards bringing the inclusive section more to the centre of the club,” she says. “To their full credit, they'd always been invested in creating more opportunities for players of all abilities.

“So I took on a part-time role, gave up a lot of my marketing work, and set about designing a framework for the inclusive section, building pathways and collaborations with the mainstream teams and local organisations, growing and training the coach team and providing more opportunities for inclusive players to access high quality football opportunities. The section grew to over 100 players, from children through to adults, and players were able to train in small groups and play age-category matches like their peers.”

 

"We're naturally getting more female coaches wanting to work with us because we're predominantly female-led"

 

Not content with this, Tracy joined various club committees and steering groups to ensure that "the voices of inclusive players were heard and that there was continuous improvement to offer more opportunities”.

Tracy first met Hannah Coote during lockdown, when Thomas began 1:1 football training with her. At the time, Hannah was part of the academy at Tottenham Hotspur FC, and later, Tracy invited her to bring her football expertise to the inclusive section at St Albans. Together, Tracy and Hannah grew the section, forming a brilliant partnership.

Tracy had also long shared ideas with her childhood friend Martina Hardy, an experienced coach who had been Head of Girls at Berkhamsted Raiders FC for many years. Martina, equally passionate about creating opportunities for underrepresented communities, had witnessed first-hand the challenges Tracy faced in finding suitable sports opportunities for Thomas.

In September 2023, Tracy, Martina, and Hannah came together with Tracy’s husband Nick – who runs Fighting Fit Football, a club supporting people with Parkinson’s disease – and Tracy’s close university friend Hayley Caine, plus, of course, Thomas, to form Inclusive United Community Interest Company (CIC).

The idea had been developing for some time, but the real catalyst came when Thomas started a supported internship at college after completing two years of sports studies. He was determined to work in sport, but despite having the support of a job coach, there were no opportunities in sports organisations available to him at that time.

Inclusive United was born with the goal to create more inclusive sport opportunities for underrepresented communities. In less than two years, the progress has been meteoric, including recognition of the Sport for Good Award 2025 from the Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

 

 

Twelve months ago, Tracy encountered a sense of déjà vu when she saw an article on the WIF website advertising the Small Business Programme in partnership with Xero. Tracy almost talked herself out of applying. Once again to her surprise, the response she received was a positive one.

“To actually have WIF believe in what we were doing and want to help take us forward gave me such a boost,” she says. “Being part of such a dynamic group of individuals running amazing businesses gave me a real lift. The support of people on the programme has been invaluable.”

 

Empower, mentor, succeed

One of those supporters is programme mentor Ruth Shaw OBE. Tracy explains: “Last week I’d turned down a piece of work, and I was discussing this with Ruth. Her expertise has been so supportive, she always comes up with good suggestions, and it’s been so heartening to have someone with her experience to talk to.”

That respect is clearly reciprocated by Ruth. “From the beginning, my partnership with Tracy has felt very natural,” she says. “I was immediately struck by how warm, generous, and committed she is. Her personal story and lived experience really inspire her work, and you can see how much it motivates others too. Tracy is purpose-driven, values-led, and calm under pressure – the kind of person you instinctively want to collaborate with.

“Often, my role has simply been to act as a sounding board. Occasionally I’ll share an idea or a connection, but the truth is she’s usually already one step ahead! What I’ve gained from the experience is the joy of seeing her confidence and ambition grow, as well as a fresh perspective. Tracy has made me far more aware of the lack of sporting and employability provision for people with special educational needs, and the skill and care involved in getting it right.

“For me, the power of the Small Business Programme is about the power of the WIF network. It’s about connecting and collaborating with people who can share or support your goals and lift you as you climb.”

 

 

Reflecting on the creation of Inclusive United CIC and the series of knockbacks Thomas has encountered over the years, Tracy says it only encouraged her and Thomas to keep pushing the boundaries to show people what he's capable of. “With the right support and the right attitude, there's so much that you can do, and we're showing that now. Not just with Thomas, but others too that have been with us for a while. We've got a formula in place to support inclusive players, to develop their confidence and offer them a safe, supportive place to either play, and if they wish, also develop their leadership and coaching skills.”

When asked to explain how Inclusive United – where a smiling Thomas features prominently on the website – has helped his personal development, Tracy’s face lights up.

“The progress has been incredible. He’s been involved in a lot of the ideas and decision making from the start, has completed his supported internship with us and as well as a co-founder and inclusive player, he is an apprentice coach. Mentored by Hannah, each week when he coaches, he finds his voice a little more and his confidence is continuously growing. He can now lead a lot of a session to his peers, and they all listen to him. He’s an excellent role model.

“I can't describe in words what it feels like. When you're always being told: ‘No, no, you can't do that. No, you can't join. No, that's not possible. No, he'll never do that’, now to see what he's achieving, he’s unstoppable at the moment.”

 

Supportive spaces

Tracy admits that with Inclusive United, there is always a sense of being ‘on’. “I'm like, right, what's next? How can we make this bigger? I know the need is huge. I think that's what I find overwhelming sometimes. I want to support more people, but we've got to do it right and I don’t want us to compromise our quality. So, we are trying to be sensible with how we grow, and of course we need the funds to be able to do this.”

Another pledge that Tracy made with Inclusive United was the desire to create safe, supportive spaces where female coaches can learn, grow and thrive in their coaching careers. Has she personally experienced any barriers, and do outmoded attitudes and stereotypes around women in football still exist at a community grassroots level?

“All of us have now found a space to work where we feel valued and we feel that we have a voice, an equal voice,” answers Tracy thoughtfully. “All of us have had challenges in the past. But what is so refreshing is that because of what we have created, we're naturally getting more female coaches wanting to work with us because we're predominantly female-led.”

Having benefited greatly from the support of her colleagues in getting Inclusive United up and running, Tracy’s advice to potential new entrepreneurs is very much to avoid going it alone. “With my background in growing businesses and charities and working with startups,” she reflects, “I knew it would be a lot of work. I'd say go for it but get some good people around you because it is quite a lonely journey otherwise.”

 

 

And what does the immediate future look like for Inclusive United? “As well as providing inclusive football and sport sessions for 70 to 80 participants per week, we've had an inclusive sport and employability programme running which has been backed by Sport England, helping young adults to gain confidence and leadership skills through movement and inclusive sport. We've created a dedicated programme which we are going to get accredited. Then we are looking for more funding or a corporate partner to continue that work and replicate it in other areas.  The impact for many of the individuals who have taken part has been life-changing.

“When we start something, we try to plan carefully for the session to be sustainable long-term, because so many young adults start to rely on it. We don't want to be saying to participants ‘this isn't going to run any more’. It becomes part of their weekly routine and it's more than just coming to us. They've made a lot of friends, whilst staying healthy and fit. A lot of them go to the football together now, and the impact has been huge. Thomas has a season ticket at Watford FC in the accessible area near where the subs warm up. He's very vocal about trying to get their attention!”

Inclusive United CIC is a grassroots community interest company, established in response to the lack of inclusive sport opportunities available for young adults (18+) with learning disabilities, neurodiversity, special educational needs, or additional needs. For many, accessing mainstream sports activities can be challenging. Recognising this gap, Inclusive United CIC offers inclusive sports sessions during weekday daytime hours, where provision for this underrepresented group is limited.

At the heart of their mission is improving confidence and self-esteem through teamwork and interaction and levelling up the opportunities. Their inclusive activities are designed to be both fun and transformative, providing young adults, who are often socially isolated, with opportunities to enhance their long-term health, fitness, and mental well-being, while feeling included like their peers. By focusing on accessibility and inclusivity, they are striving to create a supportive environment where everyone can thrive through sport.

If you would be interested in supporting Tracy, please use the Get in Touch section on Inclusive United’s website or connect on LinkedIn.

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