Veteran Lioness named Community Hero

Our Fosters Solicitors Community Hero for Norwich City’s fixture against Blackburn Rovers is Mary ‘Rusty’ Blake.

Rusty served with the Women’s Royal Army Corps from 1970 to December 1974 in Aldershot and Hong Kong, attached to the Royal Corp of Signals.

Before joining the army at the age of 16, Rusty was selected to play football for England, the unofficial 1969 Lionesses team.

Before the team went to Turin, Italy to play in the first ever Women’s European Cup tournament, they toured Czechoslovakia playing matches in Prague, as women’s football in Europe received more recognition than at home in England.

The great stadium of Juventus FC hosted the European Cup, watched by approximately 15,000 supporters. England came third and Rusty received a bronze medal.

Rusty and her teammates are currently waiting to be awarded bespoke caps in recognition of their pioneering contribution to women’s football.

She is very proud to see the progression of the England women’s game and was honoured to have been in the stadium when the current England Lionesses won the European Cup Final.

Since 2019, Fosters Solicitors have joined our primary partners Norwich City Football Club in highlighting the great work of local individuals and organisations in our community. Every month during the football season, a ‘Community Hero’ is chosen for a selected matchday – providing an opportunity to showcase that person(s), or initiatives, selfless work or important community campaign.

Do you know someone who deserves special recognition, or does something wonderful for their local community? If so, we’d love to hear your nomination for a future game, which can be put forward via the club’s website.