Seven representatives from athletics have been selected for the second cohort of the Women’s Sport Trust’s “Unlocked” programme.

Hannah Cockroft, Sammi Kinghorn, Mhairi Maclennan, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Beth Partridge, Steph Twell and Jodie Williams all join for the year-long programme.

The programme, named ‘Unlocked’, is now in its second year and aims to help athletes accelerate change across the sports industry. Representing 27 different sports and with athletes at different points in their elite careers, the group provides a unique, diverse and powerful insight into the challenges and opportunities that exist in women’s sport, based on those who sit at the heart of it.

35 elite female athletes have come together to tackle diversity in sport head on, as part of a unique programme created by women’s sport charity, The Women’s Sport Trust.

As part of the Unlocked group the athletes will access experts from across the sport, business and media worlds. The Women’s Sport Trust hold workshops and opportunities to hear from industry insiders, as well as provide athletes with their own ‘activator’. The activators are leaders in their field who will share their connections and experience to help the sportswomen tackle the issues and areas they feel passionate about. Working with the other athletes in the Unlocked group will create a lasting network and a chance to learn from others who face similar challenges and opportunities.

Last year’s Unlocked programme proved to be a gamechanger in empowering athletes, with four of the group now taking positions on sporting boards including world medallist and European champion in the F34 shot put, Vanessa Wallace, who has joined Sporting Equals as a Trustee.

Find out more about the programme, here.