Young girls gathered in a circle after football training

Varsha Patel

Communications and Campaigns Manager

Varsha Patel, a south Asian woman with glasses, smiling

Varsha has spent the past seven years working in the property development world and construction sector, working in marketing, events, PR and communications.

She started her communications journey working for the NHS, after graduating with a BA(Hons) degree in Marketing. She enjoyed working in the public sector working for the local authority, adult social services, and further education, where she was responsible for recruiting 2000 16–18-year olds through creative campaigns and events.

Having grown up in a community where the cultural norm was for girls to stay home, study and help with chores, her relationship with sport was non-existent apart from at school.

Varsha rediscovered her passion for sport after her own daughters found a love for football, she was persuaded to take on a coaching role so her youngest could be in an U7s team. She loves this volunteering role and is completing her FA coaching qualifications to build her confidence in coaching.

Advocating the need for more representation both on and off the pitch is something Varsha champions daily. She’s found that sport has genuinely changed her life for the better and wants to use her skills to allow it to change other girls’ and women’s lives too.

Varsha joined the team at Women in Sport because she wants to make sure that future generations of young girls, regardless of their ethnicity have the chance to enjoy and reap the benefits of sport.

Her role as Communications and Campaigns Manager at Women in Sport will involve leading the digital communications for the charity, curate and deliver impactful and thought-provoking campaigns to champion the charity’s mission.

Favourite sporting moment? Rubbing shoulders with Chelsea striker, Sam Kerr and persuading her to take a selfie with me pitch-side.

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Our People

Say hello to our small but mighty team, creating change across the sector to encourage women and girls into sport.

England hockey captain Anita White leading out the England women's hockey team at the 1975 World Cup

History

Women in Sport was founded in 1984 and has spent the last four decades raising awareness and campaigning for change in women's sport.