During Women’s History Month, Sheffield’s women are making their mark in arts, sports, and beyond, leading a culture that continues to gain recognition.

One vibrant scene within Sheffield is the female football culture with the Sheffield Wednesday Ladies having played in the Steel City derby this month against Sheffield United.

Centre-back and forward for Sheffield Wednesday Ladies, Jessica Birtles, said: “To be able to keep our sport going and to be able to participate freely after it was banned for 50 years – shows how determined we are.”

In the last four years, the number of women and girls playing football has increased by 56 percent.

Miss Birtles said: “I’m extremely proud to see how the women’s game has grown in recent years.

“It fills me with pride that we were the starting point for the women’s game, finally getting the recognition it deserves and I can only see it going up from here.”

Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre will stage The Ladies Football Club directed by Elizabeth Newman in 2026.

The play highlights female unity, while the men fought during the World War, women embraced football, drawing crowds of 50,000.

The production follows their powerful journey to success showcasing how Sheffield’s women defied social norms, proving their equality in work and sport.

Women in leadership roles across the UK are heavily underrepresented, with only 35 percent of women in leadership roles.

Chief Executive of the Sheffield City Council, Kate Joseph said: “We celebrate and recognise leaders not just in big organisations, but also in community groups and movements—whether in football, the arts, or beyond. 

“It’s something really special, and it makes me feel incredibly proud.”

The history of female-led culture has always been prevalent in Sheffield, clearly exemplified by the Women of Steel statue located in the city centre. 

Michelle Rawlins, a best selling author and writer of multiple Steel Women books said: “The Steel Women highlighted that they are very capable to enter a workplace that used to be very predominantly men – they set the bar.

“Sheffield has definitely helped women feel they belong.”

Jules Gray has been a figurehead for beer drinkers in Sheffield for over a decade, having ran the 11th annual Sheffield beer week earlier this month.

Sheffield Beer Week 2025 celebrates the city’s thriving craft beer scene with brewery tours, food pairings, pub trails, and community events, all while highlighting Sheffield’s rich brewing heritage and outdoor culture.