Thursday 5 March marked an important milestone for Unlocked as athletes and activators came together for the programme’s Athlete-Activator Matching Event. Hosted by Squire Patton Boggs at their London office, the event brought together the current Unlocked cohort of elite female athletes and senior leaders from business, sport and the media for an afternoon focused on connection, collaboration and opportunity.
Unlocked, Women’s Sport Trust’s flagship athlete leadership and development programme, empowers athletes to use their platforms, voices and unique perspectives to create change while working collectively to shape the future of women’s sport. Pairing each athlete with an activator is a key part of the programme.
Women’s Sport Trust CEO Tammy Parlour explains:
“Unlocked is about helping athletes recognise the breadth of their potential – not just in sport, but beyond it. Activators bring something incredibly powerful: perspective from outside the athlete’s sporting system. These relationships are built on trust, curiosity and shared responsibility, and time and again we see how a small number of meaningful conversations can unlock confidence, clarity and momentum for an athlete.”
This cohort’s activators come from a wide range of sectors, including business, law, leadership, media, digital and DEI. What unites them is a belief that talented sportswomen deserve structured support as they shape their futures and use their platforms for good.
Before meeting their Activators, the athletes came together for a group session led by Women’s Sport Trust Athlete Programmes and Relationship Manager Eilidh Gibson. This gave them an opportunity to reconnect in person and reflect on their Unlocked experience so far. The session was followed by a Legal Workshop delivered by hosts Squire Patton Boggs.
“As ever with this group, sparks were flying as the athletes reconnected and, for some, met in person for the first time. The solidarity and passion to support one another were evident throughout the day,” said Eilidh.
“It was also fantastic to hear the input during the expert session on athlete contracts from Squire Patton Boggs. Access to legal advice designed specifically with the athlete lens in mind is rare and incredibly valuable,” she added.
The afternoon then moved from the workshops on the second floor to views of London from the eighth floor for the Athlete–Activator event, which provided the first opportunity for each partnership to meet in person after the pairings had been revealed earlier in the week.
Activators bring perspectives from outside an athlete’s sporting system, acting as mentor, challenger and connector as athletes explore what matters to them, what they want to influence and how they might take their next steps.
It’s also a chance for activators to learn from their athlete, as activator Jenny Mitton explains: “I think the future of women’s sport lies with the athletes themselves, they have huge amounts of power. In terms of their commercial viability, there is so much potential, and I want to be part of helping to unlock that. Personally, I wanted to be an activator because I know I can learn from these incredible athletes. I want to understand what the industry can be doing better, from a brand perspective, from a rights‑holder perspective and how we can help elevate them. They are incredible women, incredible athletes, and they know this better than anyone.”
Unlocked athletes consistently highlight the value of these partnerships, crediting activators with helping them strengthen their voice, navigate career transitions, step into leadership roles and feel genuinely seen and supported.
It’s early days, but Unlocked athlete Katie Gleeson is already looking forward to working with her activator. “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to learn from someone within the sports industry who has such a wealth of knowledge, experience and connections. I want to develop that relationship, use them as a sounding board, and hopefully gain guidance on my next steps. My hope is to continue developing my work around neurodiversity within sport”, she said.
The current Unlocked programme is supporting 36 elite female athletes from across the UK, connecting them with industry leaders, learning opportunities and a powerful peer network.
The matching event at Squire Patton Boggs marks the beginning of a new round of partnerships – small, focused relationships with the potential to unlock significant impact for the athletes involved and for the wider sporting landscape they influence.
Thanks to a grant from the Jacobs Futura Foundation, the Women’s Sport Trust launched a new Unlocked programme in November 2025. This funding supports not only the latest cohort, but also strengthens our growing community of 111 athlete alumni. Find out more about the Unlocked programme here.