West Sussex hockey player receives MBE for championing inclusive sportswear
Tess Howard, a 26-year-old Team GB athlete and member of East Grinstead Hockey Club, was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle today
A hockey player from Cambridge- who plays for West Sussex has received royal recognition for her campaign to make sportswear more inclusive for women and girls.
Tess Howard, a 26-year-old Team GB athlete and member of East Grinstead Hockey Club, was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle today. She was honoured for her work in promoting choice and inclusivity in women’s sportswear.
Howard, who was part of England’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, has long campaigned for female hockey players to be allowed to wear shorts instead of traditional skirts or skorts.
“It’s quite ridiculous that I’ve been given an award essentially for campaigning to wear shorts,” she said. “It’s silly when you say it out loud.”
Through her non-profit, Inclusive Sportswear CIC, Howard successfully pushed for change—leading to a rule update by the International Hockey Federation in 2023. The new rules allow female players to choose between skirts, skorts, or shorts, provided they match in colour and design.
Howard, who is originally from Cambridge, said she was “very honoured” to receive the award, although admitted it felt “bizarre.” She revealed that even the Princess Royal, who presented the award, was surprised the campaign had been necessary in the first place.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Howard said: “My slogan is kind of ‘Let’s fix this and move on with our lives’. There’s still more work to do—but we’re on the right path.”