In November 2004 Sport England East Midlands, with emda and the Women's Sport Foundation produced the publication, Enterprising Women in the business of sport, that demonstrates and celebrates the positive impact that women play at all levels in the business of sport within the East Midlands.

This page aims to tell the stories of some of the women featured in the publication and illustrate the very real challenges that they have faced in reaching their potential.

	Gaynor Nash has always been passionate about sport, and played all sports at school. Football was her first love and she played for Coventry Bantams at the age of 15. Two years later Gaynor was selected for Wales and played international matches including a 5-0 defeat to England. Gaynor is probably best known for hockey and in 1978 joined the very successful Leicester Ladies side. Gaynor also captained the county side, the Midlands and played for Wales. Recently coaching has taken precedence over playing. Gaynor writes for the Leicester Mercury after challenging the editor to include more articles on women’s sport. “He called my bluff by suggesting I write the articles. My first controversial article brought a big mail bag of correspondence, mostly from apoplectic males.” However eight years later the column is still going strong. Gaynor said: “Occasionally I will have a bit of a rant at the fact that women’s sport rates less than 5% of media coverage but usually I will just get on with the business of giving women and girls the publicity they merit.”
	Chanda Chawhan is walking her way to health with her community firmly behind her. The Chalo Chalay “Let’s Walk Leicester” explores the City parks and local places of interest with groups of mostly Asian women walking for the fun of it. As she puts it “it gives me pleasure to see my friends active; they are happy so I am happy”. Chalo Chalay is seen as an example of what can be achieved by friends and neighbours supporting one another to be more active. The positive support this network provides is proving particularly effective in assisting Asian women of all ages to be more active. The profile of this group continues to rise, most recently with a piece on television showing them walking together singing in the rain - enjoying their activity whatever the weather! Chanda has been commended by her local MP Patricia Hewitt as well as a leading local heart specialist for her positive contribution to her community. Originally encouraged by her doctor to walk more to combat her arthritis, Chanda was supported to become a qualified leader. Chanda knows that her voluntary work helps her community get more active, reduces stress and depression and helps to get people out of their homes to enjoy their environment.
	Maria Costello is officially Britain’s fastest female motorcycle racer. Maria from Northamptonshire started racing and winning in 1995. This led to offers from an all female team and in turn led to her debut on the Isle of Man’s TT course, a 37.73 mile course ridden on the islands roads. Maria has always been determined that she would hold the outright fastest female record. This year she achieved that ambition by lapping at an average of 114.73mph, beating a 7-year record by six seconds, despite having a broken collarbone at the time. Her success in a male dominated arena has brought benefits including riding for a German team at the World Endurance Championships and in European Superstock rounds supporting the World Superbikes Championship in Germany and Italy.
	Fiona Neale has always loved sport and continues to excel even though she has for the last 10 years used a wheelchair. Now she has gone one step further leaving behind her career as a primary school teacher to work in sport as an advocate for disabled people to get more involved at all levels of sport. Her role means close liaison with the English Federation of Disability Sport, Youth Sport Trust as well as working with disabled children and teachers on inclusion strategies in PE. Having been initially told she could not undertake her favoured sports study course at University because of her disability, Fiona eventually studied Sports Science, winning student of the year on her way to graduating from the Australian Institute of Fitness with a diploma in Sports Science and Exercise Management. Fiona’s life changed when she was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder which makes her joints unstable and prone to dislocation. As Fiona herself says this “has not stopped me from leading a very full and active life”. Fiona completed the London Marathon, finishing third, in 1998. Fiona also started to swim competitively. In 1996 she won her first national competition and in 1998 she was selected to represent Great Britain at the World Swimming Championships. Fiona lists her greatest achievement as winning a silver medal in the 100-metre backstroke at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.
	Jayne Warman’s life-changing decision came when she left local authority employment to set up in her consultancy business concentrating on her passion; the business of sport. This gave her the flexibility she needed in balancing the demands of a young family and her work. In this new challenging environment Jayne has quickly established her business. As she herself says “I set up on my own entirely unaided, I was not aware of the support available from organisations like Business Link” I’m now 3 years into the business and have spent the last year working as a specialist sport and regeneration advisor to Catalyst Corby on implementing the enormous change they are working towards in the town. My role is all about ensuring that sport is seen as a fundamental building block of that change. This is tremendously challenging in lots of different ways but I can really see the difference our partnership working is making.
	Emma Pass started playing basketball at the age of 16 at school and has been playing for the senior England women’s team since she was 18. The encouragement from schoolteachers and continual family support enabled Emma to play basketball throughout school and university, which led to international honours - Emma currently has 30 senior England caps. As an international player in a low profile sport Emma has had to raise awareness of her ability herself. Barriers to funding, time off to train and recognition have all been crossed through her drive to succeed. In her professional role as community project manager for the “Women and Girls in Sport” project in Mansfield Woodhouse, Emma addresses some of the issues concerned with raising awareness and participation of females in sport. “I have had to work hard to make things happen myself. Overcoming barriers such as accessing funding, making local media listen and being treated as an international athlete, have enabled me to transfer these experiences to others and help them overcome issues to participation in sport.”
	Lisa Evans used to weigh over 18 stone. Now, after losing weight and gaining confidence she is a fitness instructor at a local gym, all thanks to a scheme in Gedling, Nottinghamshire called Positive Moves. Looking back Lisa said: “The first time I went I was petrified because I thought everyone there would be fit and slim. I hated it at first but then the weight started coming off and my confidence grew.” So successful was the programme that after Lisa had completed it she enrolled at South Notts College on a one year Personal Trainer Course. She qualified as a gym instructor shortly after and began work at the Jesse Boot Wildcats Arena. Lisa said “If I can do it, then anyone can. I hope to encourage other people to do what I did. It’s really daunting at first and I hope that I could help people overcome any fears they may have about exercising.”
	Emily Wooton has been transformed from spectator to team manager at Asfordby Amateurs Ladies’ and Girls’ Football Club in Leicestershire, thanks to the enjoyment volunteering has provided. “My daughter went to a football tournament with her new school and decided she wanted to take it up a bit more. So I got dragged along to a local girls football team and she started training with them and she volunteered me as a manager!” recalled Emily. “Then she decided she didn’t want to be in the team but wanted to continue with the training - so I carried on being manager, joined a ladies football team and I’m now in the middle of doing my level one coaching certificate.” Emily readily confesses that sport was not on her own agenda as a child. Now though, her outlook on sport has changed. “I’d like to improve myself and teach the kids more skills and I want my kids to be involved more in sport.”
	Anne-Marie Newland is a certified yoga teacher and founder of The U.K. Centre for Sun Power Yoga, based in Leicester. Anne Marie states: “I stumbled onto yoga during the worst time of my life and it supported me where no human was able to. A life saver!” Anne Marie is one of the first teachers to combine yoga for sports people, including footballers, rugby players, cyclists and athletes. Much of this groundbreaking work has been used to support existing training systems, enhancing their own training programmes, and limiting injury. Yoga is clearly one of the biggest passions in Anne Marie’s life:”I love yoga, I love what it has given to me, it has given me the power to take control when, sometimes things have been overwhelming. It’s also given me lots of fun and a good many laughs.“
	Olivia Murphy began playing netball at junior school - now she aims to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Moore and Martin Johnson by leading England to World Cup glory. Having first represented her country aged 16, ten years on Olivia is now captain of the senior squad and has travelled the world playing the sport she loves. “I first started playing netball at junior school and this inspired me to join Linden Netball Club,” explained Olivia. “I received a lot of support from my parents and my club coaches and it was here my interest grew and I began playing for my County, Derbyshire, and then for England. Now my aims are to win a gold medal for England in the 2007 World Championships. “I have also had the opportunity to coach and I hope more young people will now be recruited to the sport, especially through Derbyshire County Sports Partnership programme, which works through local clubs to deliver a comprehensive range of sports development opportunities for netball.”