Virgin Money Giving, the 100% not-for-profit fundraising website, and the Women’s Sport Trust joined forces to tell great stories of women’s sport in a series of film shorts.
THE #ONECHALLENGE FILM SERIES
Each film concentrates on the extraordinary stories of two female superstars (and Greg Rutherford) meeting – in many cases for the first time – to discuss the great themes of sport. From muscles to motivation, adventure to parenthood, equality to overcoming terrible adversity.
The film allows viewers to eavesdrop on their conversation. Standby for shared revelations, laughter, drama, stories, remembered pain and glory.
EPISODE LIST
Ep 1 : Charlotte Edwards and Kate Richardson Walsh
Cricketing legend Charlotte Edwards and Olympic gold-winning captain Kate Richardson-Walsh discuss the art, the agony and the ecstasy of captaincy. Why losing the England captaincy in 2016 felt like bereavement to Charlotte and why Kate was “touching wood” before the ultimately glorious England women’s hockey campaign at the Rio Olympics.
Ep 1 – full (10 mins)
Ep 1 – short (5 mins)
Ep 2 : Becky James and Gail Emms
Two Olympic silver medalists, from different eras and different sports, intriguingly compare notes on post-competition celebrations, the size of their thighs, living with a sportsman, and medal envy. “So yours….that’s huge!” The verdict of badminton player, Gail Emms, on the two silver medals that cyclist Becky James brought back from Rio. “It’s not fair.”
Ep 2 – full (10 mins)
Ep 2 – short (5 mins)
Ep 3 : Kadeena Cox and Ellie Simmonds
Two of our greatest Paralympians, swimmer Ellie Simmonds and cyclist/athlete Kadeena Cox, who both won medals in Rio, on the world going “a little bit crazy” in the aftermath of Games success. How Kadeena survived a stroke and a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis to become one of GB’s greatest athletes and how Ellie views “dwarfism” as “just a name”. “Sometimes it hard to walk. I’ve got little legs…. But it doesn’t stop me.”
Ep 3 – full (10 mins)
Ep 3 – short (5 mins)
Ep 4 : Katherine Grainger
One of GB’s greatest ever sportswomen, with a haul of four silvers and one gold, from five successive Olympics, Dame Katherine Grainger, talks openly about the uncertain dark times leading up to Rio 2016, her wry self-diagnosis of obsessive masochism, her pride in her hard earned final silver and being on the look-out for a nice David Beckham type with whom to settle down.
Ep 4 – full (10 mins)
Ep 4 – short (5 mins)
Ep 5 : Maggie Alphonsi and Goldie Sayers
Rugby World Champion Maggie Alphonsi and Olympic javelin bronze medalist Goldie Sayers discuss body image. Whether muscles have become a popular female accessory. How rugby, alone, gave Maggie a sense of freedom to be herself when she felt strength and aggression in women was generally frowned upon. And Goldie describes why she as able to walk “butt naked” into a room of five men without a care in the world.
Ep 5 – full (10 mins)
Ep 5 – short (5 mins)
Ep 6 : Judy Murray and Kelly Smith
Tennis coach Judy Murray – and Mum to the Andy/Jamie Murray tennis dynasty – talks honestly to England football legend-turned-coach Kelly Smith about the perils and joys of teaching sport. Why she “hated” training sessions geared solely to men and boys and why, in a few years time, she’s going to congratulate Kelly on landing the big job. Manager of Arsenal. The men’s team.
Ep 6 – full (10 mins)
Ep 6 – short (5 mins)
Ep 7 : Sophie Christiansen and Lizzie Kelly
Eight times Paralympic dressage champion Sophie Christiansen and celebrated jockey Lizzie Kelly, the first woman to win a Group 1 race in Britain, share thoughts on the financial and cultural discrimination they have encountered within their respective sports. Plus why Sophie searched online for her boyfriend and why Lizzie would never date a male jockey.
Ep 7 – full (10 mins)
Ep 7 – short (5 mins)
Ep 8 : Greg Rutherford and Claire Harvey
Olympic long jump gold medalist Greg Rutherford and Paralympian Claire Harvey discuss the joys, guilt and sleeplessness of sporting parenthood. The heartbreak of leaving children behind to compete, the brutal judgement of social media and the difficulties placed in the path of sporting mothers that don’t apply to sporting dads. And Greg’s emotional time on Strictly.
Ep 8 – full (10 mins)
Ep 8 – short (5 mins)
Ep 9 : Jenny Jones and Emily Evans
Olympic snowboard bronze medalist Jenny Jones and GB rafting gold medalist Emily Evans explain the heart-pumping adrenalin highs of adventure sport and why it becomes addictive. Even when you’re setting off an avalanche on a mountain or being introduced to wild rivers in Western Nepal with warnings to “Mind The Crocodiles.”
Ep 9 – full (10 mins)
Ep 9 – short (5 mins)
Ep 10 : Davina McCall and Asha Philip
Television presenter and fitness campaigner, Davina McCall and Olympic 4×100 relay bronze medalist, Asha Philip, share notes on the power of motivation. How Davina kicked drugs, drink and cigarettes to discover the addictive benefits of physical workouts instead. How Asha overcame a devastating two year injury break that threatened her career. And why Davina sometimes mistakes herself for Rocky – complete with theme tune.
Ep 10 – full (10 mins)
Ep 10 – short (5 mins)
Ep 11 : Michelle Partington and Martine Wright
Martine Wright, Paralympian and survivor of 7/7 bombings meets Michelle Partington, Invictus Athlete and former Army Paramedic in Afghanistan. From battlefield and bomb site, how two extraordinary women came back from horrendous physical and mental injuries to compete for their country and find salvation in sport.
Ep 11 – short (5 mins)
Ep 11 – long (10 mins)
“Like our sports women who give 100% in their chosen field, we see Virgin Money Giving fundraisers give their all to raise money for charity every day. They give 100%, so we think it’s only right that we help them get more money to their chosen cause by being 100% not-for-profit. We are delighted to be supporting the Women’s Sport Trust bringing these fantastic stories to life through “#OneChallenge”. It’s a perfect fit.”Jo Barnett, Executive Director of Virgin Money Giving