Sue Anstiss MBE has joined the board at Lewes FC
A special advisor for SMS, Anstiss has long been committed to gender equality in all sport, receiving an MBE in 2018 for her services to grassroots sport.
The Sussex club operates a community ownership model, where fans and supporters can buy or gift no liability shares, entitling them to a vote and the right to stand for the board among other benefits. The club offers annual or lifetime packages.
Lewes’ not-for-profit approach is not the only way the club stands out. In 2017, it became the only club in the world to reach equal treatment of its men’s and female teams, which operate on the same budget, for the same wages, playing at the same facilities. As the club puts it, “Same budget. Same stadium. Same facilities. Same support. Same everything.” The club also has a firm anti-gambling stance, supporting the coalition against gambling ads.
Sue takes her place on the club’s board, alongside CEO Maggie Murphy, who is also on the board of the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, and former Lioness Claire Rafferty.
Lewes FC CEO, Maggie Murphy, said:
“Sue has her finger on the pulse of everything good happening in women’s sport right now. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Sue over the last eighteen months, and every time I walk away from a conversation with her, I feel energized, inspired and excited. Sue joining Lewes FC’s board and actively committing to help us reach our goals is huge validation of what we have already accomplished but with her knowledge, insight and creativity, we can move much closer to fulfilling our full potential.”
Sue Anstiss also reflected on her appointment.
“Lewes FC has already achieved so much and sets a bold example for sports club everywhere, whether that’s being the only football club in the world to allocate resources equally by gender, its rejection of gambling sponsorship or taking a provocative stance on the extraordinary inequality of prize money for the FA Cup. The fact that the club is also 100% community owned really sets it apart.
“I am hugely proud to have been appointed to the board and look forward to contributing to the club’s powerful ambition for change.”
SMS is committed to supporting men’s and women’s sport at all levels of the game. Upcoming research includes a new analysis of women’s sporting journeys in the UK.
Contact us to find out how Sue and SMS can help you business understand the players, fans, trade and stakeholders who matter to your business.
