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SecureCloud+ Leads the Largest-Ever Girls Rugby Festival, Promoting Sport and STEM
By SecureCloud+
22 October, 2025
SecureCloud+ successfully hosted its annual Girls Festival of Rugby (GFOR) on Sunday, 12th October, bringing together a record number of participants to celebrate girls’ rugby and promote careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The event saw over 65 teams from across the United Kingdom compete in a day of spirited sportsmanship and collaborative learning.
The festival has become a landmark event for empowering the next generation, blending the passion of sport with the opportunities of technology and science. This year’s event was the largest to date, demonstrating a growing commitment to fostering talent both on the pitch and in future professional fields.
A central feature of the day was the expansive STEM Village, which showcased interactive exhibits from 12 leading organisations. Participants included Telent Technology Services Ltd, Dell Technologies, Inzpire, the Royal Aeronautical Society, OSL, the British Army, Northampton Saints, the Royal Air Force (RAF), RAF Rugby, and the RAF Air Cadets. The village provided a unique platform for young athletes to engage directly with industry leaders and explore potential career pathways.
Furthering the focus on professional development, the festival featured two insightful STEM panels hosted by Charli Martin, Chief Operations Officer at SecureCloud+. The panels brought together eight distinguished female leaders from the defence and technology sectors to share their experiences and inspire attendees. Speakers included Ange Baker (Royal Air Force), Angela Cross (Dell Technologies), Claire O’Grady (Royal Air Force), Elizabeth Gilbertson (Defence Equipment & Support), Wing Commander Nicola J Duncan (Royal Air Force), Elizabeth O’Sullivan (Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering), and Kate McCartney (Defence Equipment & Support).
The event’s impact extended beyond inspiration, showcasing a profound commitment to the community. Through dedicated fundraising efforts, over £2000 was successfully generated for the RAF Benevolent Fund, the festival’s esteemed official charity partner. This vital contribution directly supports the Fund’s unwavering mission to provide life-changing welfare support to serving and former RAF personnel and their families.
Adding to the prestige of the day were special guest appearances from elite athletes Sarah Bonar, an RAF International Rugby Player, and Amy Cokayne, an England International Rugby Union Player. Their presence provided invaluable encouragement and inspiration for the young players.
Amy Cokayne, England International Rugby Union Player and special guest, reflected on the festival’s significance: “Rugby does great things to break barriers, putting women in male dominated fields and that’s exactly what STEM does as well so to be able to celebrate both those things is huge, especially being in the air force and playing rugby is a great combination for me.”
Steven Mills, Chief Revenue Officer at SecureCloud+, also commented on this year’s remarkable progress: “The festival is in its 8th year and it’s grown every year in terms of its engagement, particularly this year so not only have we had more teams and more parents, but we’ve brought in the STEM Village so we’ve been able to showcase careers in technology and science including panelists and hands‑on demonstrations so it’s really growing beyond just the rugby and being able to showcase more about potential future careers for the girls.”
The Girls Festival of Rugby continues to set a new standard for youth engagement, demonstrating how a fusion of sport, technology, and community can pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.