Warwick school plans scholarship in honour of Lionesses
- midlandsrainbow
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A school in Warwickshire plans to honour the Lionesses’ recent victory in the UEFA European Women’s Championship with a sports scholarship to fund opportunities for promising students. Aylesford School in Warwick is the former school of England defender, Jess Carter who attended during her year 10 and 11 education.
The Lionesses two-time win of the Euros was not just a win for England and for women’s sport but also for the Sapphics, with many of the players on the team being part of the LGBTQ+ community. Among them is Warwick-born Jess Carter, who is in a relationship with Ann-Katrin Berger, a German goalkeeper. The couple first met while playing for Birmingham City, have been together since 2017, and are now engaged.
The 27-year-old defender is a two-time European champion with England after their win over Spain on Sunday 27th July 2025. Headteacher of Carter's former school, Peter Gilbride said that Aylesford school had held talks with Jess Carter's dad over a programme, in honour of the Lionesses, which could start in September.
Speaking to BBC Midlands Today, Gilbride said: "I think it's really important to celebrate the achievement of Jess and the team, and talk about that with our pupils so they go on to aspire to become the athlete she has become.
"She is a great example for us to refer back to them."
He added: "I spoke to Jess's dad this morning and we spoke about a scholarship that we'd like to put in place to [help] families be able to take part in any sporting achievement they're aiming for.
"We recognise that it is not always easy and we want to help with funding.”
Carter's former PE teacher Kirsten McMurray fondly remembers Jess' school sports participation, saying that the footballer would play everywhere at school but defence; the position she now plays with England.
She said: "She was hugely talented with everything to do with sport. She was a lovely, lovely student, who had great traits to be a leader and to be a star athlete."
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