Today, leading women’s sports charity, the Women’s Sport Trust (WST) announces the addition of ex-Harlequins star and diversity champion Ugo Monye to its board of trustees.

Following his stellar rugby career Monye has presented a popular weekly rugby union podcast and has recently been announced as one of the new team captains on BBC’s Question of Sport. The former England and Lions wing is also the Chair of the Rugby Football Union’s newly formed diversity and inclusion advisory group.

Tammy Parlour, CEO and Co-Founder of the Women’s Sport Trust, says: “We are overjoyed that Ugo is joining the board.  He is such a positive force for good and will provide excellent insight, not only as a former athlete, but someone who is heavily connected within the sports industry.”

Monye comments: “It’s clear that this charity has big ambition and is making a real difference for women in the sports industry.  I’m looking forward to understanding the role I can play and have already enjoyed getting to know the board and starting to plan our next steps.”

Monye joins at a key time for the charity which has had one of its busiest years since its inception in 2012.  Its Unlocked programme, which aims to support female elite athletes to use their voice and platform to make a difference, is now in its second year with this year’s cohort including newly signed Arsenal Women’s player Nikita Parris, track star Jodie Williams and Paralympic champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockcroft MBE, DL.  WST recently produced ‘Closing the Visibility Gap’ the most comprehensive study ever produced into the commercial drivers of women’s sport.  This followed on from its ‘Ambition Report’ a summary of issues around diversity which provides an overall strategy for how the sporting ecosystem could change to tackle them.

For further information please contact:

Nicola McKelvey, PR Women’s Sport Trust

Telephone: 07967 733878 Email: nicolamckelvey@womenssporttrust.com

About Ugo Monye

Since retiring in 2015, Ugo Monye has gone on to become one of the most respected voices in world rugby. The one-club man began his career at Harlequins in 2002, going on to make 237 appearances for the club, scoring 87 tries and winning a Premiership title in the process.

His club performances soon earned him international recognition, making his England debut in 2008, and after featuring heavily in England’s 2009 Six Nations squad, he was awarded a place on the 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa, on which he scored a crucial length of the field try in the final Test, which has gone on to become an iconic image in Lion’s history.

Retiring in 2015, ITV and BT Sport were quick to take him up on his informed and charismatic on screen offering, where he has gone on to work on their Rugby World Cup and Gallagher Premiership coverage for the past 5 seasons.

Launching his Podcast with the BBC in 2017, and a columnist in the Guardian, Ugo is one of the most sought-after voices in the rugby media landscape. 2021 has been a breakthrough year for Ugo, being named as a new Team Captain on the BBC’s Question of Sport, and as a contestant in 2021’s Strictly Come Dancing. 

In recent times, Ugo has stepped up to tackle issues such as diversity in rugby, the BLM movement in the UK and the funding and growth of the women’s game.

About Women’s Sport Trust
The Women’s Sport Trust was founded after London 2012 with the aim of raising the visibility and increasing the impact of women’s sport in the UK. This is achieved through the promotion of role models, stimulating media coverage and encouraging greater funding. It is the leading UK charity focused on using the power of sport to accelerate gender equality.

The charity has a substantial network of high-profile influencers across sport, media and business. Its patrons are Anna Watkins MBE, Kate Richardson-Walsh OBE, Kelly Smith MBE, Sophie Christiansen CBE and Maggie Alphonsi MBE.

Registered charity number 1153429

Website              www.womenssporttrust.com


Twitter                @womensporttrust