THOUSANDS of votes have been flooding into a design competition designed to empower women in sport.
A short-list of four entries, from a total of 120 from across the country, are vying for glory in Get Shirty, which aims to design new livery for Hartlepool Rovers Ladies’ team, so they no longer have to wear men’s strips and will have a kit to covet.
The design competition was conceived by Eden Arts and backed by the Arts Council England and Hartlepool Council. The initiative is part of the #66 campaign which, through art, aims to unite the communities along the trunk road.
Former Exeter Saracens winger Garnet Mackinder, who is now head of equality and diversity at Sport England and an RFU Council member, who was one of the judges, said: “It was a very difficult choice. I really enjoyed the process especially the under 16 entries.
“We spent hours looking at the entries and choosing the top four. We went for a mix of fun and Hartlepool’s local heritage.
“It’s a really exciting time for women’s sport with the Rugby World Cup in 2025 and both the Lionesses football team and the Red Roses rugby team doing so well.
“When I was younger there was always a feeling that the women’s game was second place. We always had to fight for the first team pitch and this attitude will not go away overnight.”
Other judges include: commercial and operations director for London-based fashion designer Emilia Wickstead Chelsea Power; Hartlepool Ladies Rugby Team captain Danielle Jeffreys-Coulton; Professor of public art practice at the University of Central Lancashire Charles Quick; and Eden Arts director Adrian Lochhead.
Hartlepool Ladies Rugby team players helped Danielle select the finalists including Alysia Draper, Emma Jeffreys-Lamb, and Adele Hewitson.
Danielle, said: “Most kits are designed for men, the colours, the cut, so having a fitted kit that will compliment a lady is very rare to come by. Shirts that have been specifically designed for women will be a massive plus. A kit with a unique design that’s linked to Hartlepool is something we will be very proud of.”
Alysia said: “The current strips are stereotypically rugby, like it’s a blokes sport. This is what we are trying to break down and I think this will help a lot.”
Emma added: “I feel that this will make us more confident on the pitch as if you have tops that fit and look nice we will feel ready to play.”
Eden Arts creative producer Abi Barton said everyone had been impressed with the creativity of the competition.
“Aside from the incredible designs, it has generated very deep-rooted conversations about the challenges of female sport,” she said.
“What was evident when we visited the remarkable women at the club was their dedication to rugby and the strength they bring to each other as a supportive family of players striving to improve every aspect of the game for themselves and future generations.”
To find out more about the finalists visit https://getshirty.uk/the-finalists/. The public vote is live until May 18 and the kit will be manufactured for the start of the season in September. To vote visit www.bit.ly/getshirtyvote.