Dick, Kerr Ladies: A celebration was held at Preston North End's Deepdale just days after the Lionesses brought football home

The Dick, Kerr Ladies football team was formed during the First World War in Preston to boost morale amongst women whose husbands were fighting on the front line.

Dick, Kerr & Co Ltd was a munitions factory where the women worked, and together they fought a ban on women playing on the Football Association’s pitches.

The event in Preston North End’s Invincibles Lounge on Wednesday August 3, was part of the Lancashire Connects Football project, which is funded by Community Rail Lancashire and Avanti West Coast.

It kicked off with a dance by About Time Dance Performance, which told the story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies, the ban on women’s football and how they fought to carry on playing.

This was followed by a speech by Steven Bolton, the grandson of Lizzy Ashcroft, one of the original Dick, Kerr Ladies.

Steven introduced a showcase screening of a short film entitled Granny, which commemorates his grandmother’s life.

He said: “This event has been very emotional for me.

"The dance performance was very aggressive and perfectly depicted the struggles the Dick, Kerr ladies fought through on their football journey.

“The reaction to the film was beyond my wildest dreams and for the premiere being held in Preston, the home of women’s football, was incredible.

"The film shows the strength of my grandma and her friends, but also shows the beauty of the city of Preston.

“This whole week has felt like a dream, from being at Wembley on Sunday cheering on the Lionesses, to this event, it’s all just incredible timing and has been amazing to experience.”

As part of the football project, a local group from DFN Project SEARCH worked alongside artist Karen Allerton, to develop ideas for a series of postcards raising awareness and celebrating the achievements of the ladies’ team.

The postcards were distributed at Preston Train Station in July, and were available at last week’s event.

Guests at the event included sponsors Avanti, Community Rail Lancashire, Veterans from PNE, a group from Blackburn Remembers Rovers from the Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, veterans from Burnley and representatives Accrington FC, plus members of the DFN Project SEARCH.

Richard Watts, Chair of Community Rail Lancashire and secretary of the four Lancashire Community Rail Projects, said: “This amazing event and the overall Lancashire Connects Football programme is a great initiative to promote the legacy of the Dick, Kerr Ladies by engaging with young people in the region, especially with the incredible success of our amazing lionesses at Euro 2022.

“It was great to see so many people attend. The dance performance was incredible and the premiere of the Granny film was fantastic.

"Both of these will help keep the Dick, Kerr Ladies’ legacy alive for the next generation and beyond.

“We hope this event is the start of many which will expand the reach of this football narrative to other areas of Lancashire and through this opportunity promote sustainable forms of travel, via train and bus to local towns at the heart of football history.”

Joanna Buckley, Community Manager at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re proud to have worked with Community Rail Lancashire to raise awareness of Dick, Kerr Ladies FC amongst local people, and help keep their fascinating story alive, as we want to champion the places we serve and celebrate their heritage.

“Bringing together the community to recognise the legacy of the Dick, Kerr Ladies with this special event feels even more fitting following the triumph of England’s Lionesses at the Euro 2022 Final.

"We hope this project will further help the interest in women’s football, play a part in paving the way towards a more inclusive society, and inspire the next generation to pass on a key part of Preston’s history.”