Pancakes and Role Models: Celebrating Women's Day at Martin High

French striker Noémie Mouchon and Icelandic midfielder Hlín Eiríksdóttir joined a group of Year 7 and Year 10 students in our Food Technology rooms. Together, they broke out the eggs, flour, sugar and butter and set about cooking up some delicious concoctions. In true pancake day style, those daring enough even managed to flip their creations in the frying pan – even Associate Principal Mrs Smith had a go! – before adorning them with generous helpings of Nutella, syrup, and lemon juice.

The experience formed part of Leicester City In The Community’s Premier League Inspires Programme, a partnership initiative aimed at promoting well-being, healthy lifestyles, and positive role models for secondary pupils.

In between flipping the pancakes, our students were able to have open and honest conversations with both Noémie and Hlín, who shared insights about their careers in professional sport. This experience underscored the core aims of the programme – to break down barriers, boost self-confidence, and encourage active participation.

Year 10 student Jessica, who participated in this event, said: “It was amazing to meet the LCWFC players and hear their stories.

“They showed us that with hard work and confidence, we can achieve our goals – whether in sports or anything else we set our minds to. Spending time with them while cooking together made it even more fun.”

Kerry Cowley, Head of Key Stage 3, added: “The girls thoroughly enjoyed meeting the LCFC Women's players and even had the chance to make pancakes with them.

“It has been a fantastic opportunity for our students to connect with their role models and ask them questions. This aligns perfectly with the principles of International Women's Day, as it empowers our young girls and promotes gender equality.

“We look forward to continuing this inspiring partnership and fostering a bright future for our learners.”