Newcastle Eagles and the Eagles Community Foundation have joined together with their counterparts across the North East in joining a global movement for gender equity in sport.
Eight of the region’s most influential sporting, political, and educational institutions united on Sunday at Durham Cricket Ground in a historic multi-signing of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration.
This collective commitment bridges the gap between local grassroots impact, regional leadership, and global strategic change. By signing, these organisations – spanning professional cricket, football foundations, world-class universities, and regional government – are pledging to turn intent into action, dismantling the barriers that prevent women and girls from participating, leading, and thriving in and through physical activity:
- Durham Cricket
- Durham Cricket Foundation
- Eagles Community Foundation
- England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
- Foundation of Light
- Newcastle Eagles
- Newcastle University
- North East Combined Authority
- Northumbria University Newcastle
The Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration serves as a global roadmap for the development of a more equitable system for sport and physical activity. As new signatories, these North East organisations join a network of over 600 global entities dedicated to sharing knowledge, driving evidence-based change, and accelerating the pace of progress.
Annamarie Phelps, Co-Chair of the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG), said: “The North East is a region defined by its passion for sport, and today it becomes a region defined by its commitment to equity.
“To see this cross-sector collective join our global movement is a testament to the power of collaboration and cooperation to ensure that every woman and girl has an environment she can thrive in.”
Each signatory joins the movement as a formalisation of long-standing efforts to embed equity into the fabric of North East sport, from pioneering STEM-based basketball programmes and establishing professional cricket pathways to strengthening international leadership workshops and regional infrastructure.
On Sunday 10 May 2026, Eagles Community Foundation CEO Sam Blake and Newcastle Eagles Managing Director Paul Blake took part in a signing ceremony at Durham Cricket Ground along with sports club and sporting foundation leaders from throughout the region and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.
Sam Blake DL, CEO of Eagles Community Foundation, said: “Eagles Community Foundation is committed to creating inclusive, meaningful opportunities for women and girls to engage in sport and physical activity.
“Becoming a signatory of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration reinforces our commitment to gender equity and connects us to a global movement driving lasting change.”
Paul Blake, Managing Director, Newcastle Eagles, added: “Newcastle Eagles is proud to join fellow Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration signatories from across the North East.
“As the club’s women’s top-flight British basketball franchise prepares to celebrate 10 seasons as Eagles next year, we couldn’t be more committed to the growth of women’s sport and to the gender stereotype-breaking educational and physical activity initiatives surrounding our programme, which will engage and inspire future generations.”
Find out more about the International Working Group on Women and Sport on their website.
