The Foundation of Light is hosting a new pop-up exhibition at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, to share the personal stories of female football fans. Opening on 11 March 2026, the display focuses on the experiences of women who have supported Sunderland AFC from the 1950s through to the present day.
The exhibition, titled Away From Home: The Untold Stories of Women Football Fans, features the accounts of 11 different women. These supporters share their personal memories of how they first started following the team and their long-standing passion for the club.
The project is based on research by Professor Stacey Pope from Durham University, who is an expert in how women experience the game. The initiative highlights the historical role that female fans have played in the community culture of professional football.
In addition to the written stories, the display includes handmade football scarves created by Sunderland fans from across the North East and a banner created by a Durham-based Creative Age group. This group includes local people living with dementia and their carers who contributed their own creative work to the collection.
The exhibition is open to the public at the community hub until 25 March 2026. It offers residents a chance to see how the involvement of women in football has changed and grown over the last 70 years.
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