Since that memorable day at Wembley in July last year when England proudly lifted the European Championship, three key changes which will sit with women’s sport forever have occurred.

The most obvious being attention from the media, and how outstanding global coverage on terrestrial TV, in newspapers and online have contributed to engaging fans of all ages.

Women’s football is now more widely accepted too. The Lionesses are no longer ‘England Women’ – they are just simply England and fit into the nation’s sporting sphere.

Most importantly, young girls with a passion for football can wear the names of their heroes on the back of their shirts with pride. Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney and Sterling have been replaced by Mead, Bronze, White and Kelly. It’s wonderful to see.

At M&M Waste Solutions, we are acutely aware football has for many years been host to a male orientated environment. But we believe the beginnings of a thriving women’s football community in Oxfordshire can be inspired by what happened in 2022.

Justin Merritt, Director of Football, and Aliyah Anthony, Oxford City’s first-team manager, are both passionate about growing the women’s game and supporting players to achieve great things in a previously male dominated sport.

Their long-term vision is aligned to our own core values of striving for the highest standards, working together as a team and remaining loyal to those around us.

By combining outstanding delivery and impact on the pitch with strategic management and coordination off it, they believe their goals can be achieved,

Justin and Aliyah want to make the game appeal to young girls of all abilities, playing experiences and backgrounds which can help to grow football locally.

Wildcats Girls Football is a fantastic initiative delivered every week at Oxford City FC to participants aged 5-11. The non-competitive environment means sessions are suitable for young girls who have never kicked a ball before and promote enjoyment, teamwork, friendship and problem solving – skills which are valuable in life as much as they are on the pitch.

Providing this positive first touchpoint is key cog in the club’s female player pathway.

The next step is City’s Junior and Youth teams who train together and play competitive fixtures up to U18s. Frequently, the club sees this phase act a catalyst for helping young girls decide what they want from their futures academically.

Velocity Football is a ground-breaking programme for girls in Oxfordshire delivered onsite which allows students to combine full-time training with studies towards a career in sport.

From noble beginnings at Wildcats Girls Football to a full-time educational academy inspiring careers in sport and pathways to apprenticeships and university. In our opinion, it’s the full package and epitomises everything any young girl with a passion for football and sport could wish for.

All the above then feeds into elite level participation with Oxford City’s first team. There are already shining examples of girls who have completed this full circle and I know there are big plans to continue this trend for many years to come.

The key question is what’s in it for M&M Waste Solutions?

Coincidentally, just like the Lionesses we celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2022 and are proud to have been serving Oxfordshire communities for over 50 years.

A lot has changed in that time. For example, a large percentage of our leadership team are now women enabling us to champion diversity in a historically male-orientated sector.

We work with our employees to support their professional development too via apprenticeships which provide a proven pathway for career progression and obtaining new skills. This commitment underlines our passion for fulfilling a bright and sustainable future.

A bright and sustainable future is exactly what we want women’s football in Oxfordshire to achieve as well.

The excellence we see achieved on the pitch – in the professional game and at grassroots level – must start somewhere.

Oxford City FC’s commitment to growing playing provisions from grassroots level upwards really excite us. Their enthusiasm for the game is infectious and we hope our multi-year partnership plays a small role in supporting players’ developments not just on the pitch, but off it too.

Rob Fluckiger, Group MD of M&M Waste Solutions.