Derbyshire councillors praise Chesterfield-born World Cup footballer Millie Bright as they agree to crown her as Freewoman of the County

Derbyshire County Council unanimously agreed in principle at a council meeting on Wednesday, September 13, to bestow the England Captain and defender Millie Bright with one of the county’s finest awards after her achievements with the women’s England team which reached the final of the 2023 World Cup in Australia.

County council leader Barry Lewis told the meeting: “This is a brilliant achievement and we are happy to move this because we know Millie Bright is a Derbyshire resident and comes from Killamarsh in north Derbyshire and played for the Killamarsh Dynamos.”

Cllr Julie Patten, who was a competitive rower, told how she had not been sporty as a youngster but was persuaded to join a club and became “absolutely hooked” and she hoped Millie Bright’s success will help spread the word and help other girls and boys get involved in sport.

In addition, Cllr Carol Hart who has been a football supporter for many years after her parents had shops near to the former Derby County FC Baseball Ground said she thinks the women’s England team could teach the men’s game a “couple of things”.

She was proud to see Millie Bright and the women’s England team players taking knocks during their matches and getting on with the game and not complaining or bothering the referee.

Cllr Hart added: “She has done a brilliant job as captain and that whole team – no, not that whole team, that whole squad – deserves credit and we hope we can meet her and hear of some of her experiences.”

The 30-year-old Chelsea centre-back began playing as a junior with Derbyshire team Killamarsh Dynamos and was also part of the England set-up which clinched the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 title when England beat Germany 2-1 in the final at Wembley.

Millie Bright also played very well during the 2023 World Cup tournament where the England side successfully reached the final on August 20, this year, but was beaten by Spain 1-0.

The England Captain was also a Killamarsh Junior School and Eckington School pupil and she played for Doncaster Rovers Belles and Sheffield United’s women’s team before joining the Chelsea FC squad.

Her senior international career began in 2016 and after leading the women’s England team to UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 championship glory the side went on this year to become the first England football team to have reached the final of a World Cup since the men’s team in 1966.

Cllr Ed Fordham, considering equal rights for women in sport, said: “For women the battle is not over and it is something they have fought for, and struggled for, [for] many decades.”

The council unanimously voted in favour of bestowing the title of Freewoman of the County upon Millie Bright and the final formality of conferring the title upon the World Cup star will take place at a specially-convened meeting on a date to be agreed.