International Women’s Week – how Rossborough is championing support and parity for women in sport
Rossborough Group MD, James Anderson, explains why Rossborough is so passionate about levelling the playing field for women in sport
As we celebrate International Women’s Week, I wanted to shine a spotlight (or should I say floodlight) on a topic that we at Rossborough are passionate about; levelling the playing field for women in sport
As a community broker which has served the islands for many years, we are passionate about championing and supporting community groups and charities in each of the islands we serve. We also believe in supporting causes for the long term, providing continuous and sustained backing to those groups or teams that might not otherwise have access to the prestige or profile that their male counterparts have.
In Jersey we support the Jersey Reds Women’s Rugby Team and in the Isle of Man we support the Manx Hockey Association, which boasts numerous ladies’ teams. The women on these teams work as hard as any male sportsperson, boast incredible determination and talent and deserve to have a share of the spotlight. They are fantastic role models to many and should be recognised and supported in the same way that their male peers are.
Although we champion women’s sport, we are also passionate about the wider topic of diversity in sport – every (budding or seasoned) sportsperson should have access to support regardless of their age, gender or nationality for example. This focus on diversity reflects our company DNA and culture. We want our business and our own team, as well as those sports teams and groups we support, to be reflective of the communities we care deeply about.
As a part of Gallagher, one of the largest insurance broking groups in the world, it is no surprise that we care so much about sport; many of you will recognise them as sponsor of the Rugby Premiership. Gallagher has welcomed many top athletes and sports personalities, many of whom are women, to its team in recent years, including Jill Douglas, the BBC’s first female presenter of Rugby Special. Gallagher is also sponsor of the Special Olympics Sport and Coach programming.
This week we will be sharing quotes on our social media channels from the sportswomen we support in the islands, as they articulate why they are passionate about women’s sport and just why it is so important that they receive support. We want to drive enthusiasm for women’s sport throughout our islands, see take up increase among girls, and we hope this week gives us a platform to continue this work.
On a personal note, and as a rugby fan, I am very much looking forward to this year’s Siam Cup, it will be a great contest for all teams involved. I implore you to watch (if Covid regulations permit) or simply to share your support for the women playing in this game on social media – let’s get the island communities (both Jersey and Guernsey) behind them all! Best of luck ladies, I shall be cheering you all on!