Our Champions of Europe have been awarded Islington’s highest honour – the Freedom of the Borough – in recognition of our extraordinary achievements last season.
At a special ceremony in the Islington Council Chamber on Friday, November 21, Cllr Jason Jackson, Mayor of Islington, bestowed the honour on the team, who inspired the whole borough when we won the UEFA Women’s Champions League in May.
Captain Kim Little, head coach Renée Slegers, Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley, CEO Richard Garlick and Co-Chair Josh Kroenke were at the ceremony to receive commemorative certificates on behalf of the squad.
Arsenal Women are the latest in a long line of inspirational people and organisations to have been awarded Freedom of the Borough – including the Whittington Health NHS staff for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic, Britain’s first Black female headteacher, Yvonne Conolly CBE, and Jenette Arnold OBE, who came to Islington as a child of the Windrush generation and became the borough’s representative on the London Assembly.
Arsenal teams and individuals to have been awarded the Freedom of the Borough down the years include Arsene Wenger (2004), Ken Friar OBE (2004), George Graham (1994), Arsenal Football Club (1971) and our women’s team (2007) – then known Arsenal Ladies – marking the first time we won the same competition, then known as the UEFA Women’s Cup, as part of our quadruple winning season.
Richard Garlick, our CEO, said: “Our women’s team was born in Islington when it was started by Arsenal in the Community as a safe and inclusive space for women and girls to play football in 1987. Almost 40 years later it means so much to everyone at Arsenal to receive the Freedom of the Borough once again – and celebrate our Champions League triumph together.
“This borough is our home. Everything we are and everything we stand for is shaped by this community, and we’re committed to ensuring our success continues to inspire it.”
Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, said: “One of the highlights of my leadership so far has been celebrating the success of the Arsenal Women’s team. Not only have they achieved sporting greatness by becoming European champions for a second time, but they’ve also helped inspire a new generation of fans to support and engage with women’s sport.
“The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour we can award, and helps cement the club’s place at the heart of Islington’s sporting and cultural identity.”
The Freedom of the Borough was awarded not only in recognition of our achievements in winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League, but also in inspiring a new generation of supporters to engage with the women’s game.
After winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League last season, we held a trophy lift celebration outside Emirates Stadium with 10,000 supporters coming out the enjoy the historic moment with the squad.
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