Background
The England Amputee Lionesses are a team of elite athletes representing England at the highest level. Yet, their story was virtually unknown, and their dream of competing in the first-ever Amputee World Cup in Colombia was slipping away. With no formal funding and no major sponsorships, they faced an impossible task: raising £50,000 to cover essential costs like travel, medical care, and equipment so they could get to Colombia.
And with only a GoFundMe page to raise donations, we knew we had to help them with a message that would make a difference.
The Problem
The Lionesses weren’t just fighting financial barriers - they were battling invisibility. Despite their incredible skill and dedication, their achievements were largely unnoticed. Traditional fundraising efforts failed to break through the noise. They needed a campaign to grab attention, drive donations, and ensure the team was fully funded, not just for now, but for the future - while also inspiring the next generation of amputee footballers.
The Insight
After meeting the players and hearing their stories, we realised they weren’t looking for pity or focus on their limb loss. Instead, they wanted to be recognised for their incredible passion and talent on the field. The England Amputee Lionesses aren’t defined by what’s missing physically, but by the vital funding they need to compete.
What the Lionesses lack isn’t talent, passion, or drive - its visibility. This concept of “missing” became the heart of the campaign: they were missing from the spotlight, missing the funds to compete, and without action, they’d be missing from the World Cup.
The 'Missing' Campaign Execution
The ‘Missing’ Campaign became an incredible industry collaboration. We brought together a director, editor, PR and media agencies, and media owners to unite and make it happen, all completely pro bono, to spread the message far and wide across the UK.
With that amazing support we were able to get our message out through free TVC spots during the paralympics, on billboards across the country, on digital 6 sheets, press ads in football programmes, and last but by no means least, our compelling and moving campaign film secured us a live prime time TV appearance on both This Morning and Sky News, as well as multiple appearances both before and after the World Cup on BBC breakfast.
Campaign film: In partnership with filmmaker Deane Thrussell, we created a hero film that introduced the England Women’s Amputee Football Team through the inspiring stories of two key players, Annabel Kiki and Shelbee Clarke.
Centred on the theme of "missing," the film initially leads viewers to believe the focus is on their limb differences. However, it delivers a poignant twist, revealing that what they’re truly missing is ‘your support’ to give them the opportunity to compete and win at the Amputee World Cup in Colombia.
TVC: A 30-second cutdown aired in advertising spots on Channel 4 during the Paralympics, leveraging this powerful moment to drive donations.
Social Media: The film was adapted for various social media formats, showcasing personal stories from the players as they shared how they got into the sport and what it means to them.
DOOH: In partnership with Total Media and Limited Space, we designed striking imagery of the Lionesses for DOOH, which was displayed pro bono across the country, including in shopping centres nationwide that included Bluewater and Meadowhall.
Football Stadiums: The 90sec film was aired during halftime at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium with the print ad featuring in the match programme.
PR: In partnership with Nick Ede and East of Eden PR, The campaign gained strong editorial support, with coverage in major publications such as the Daily Mail, The Times, and The Sunday Express. The team also made high-profile appearances on ITV’s This Morning, Sky News, and Channel 4 during the Paralympics. In the lead-up to the World Cup, they were featured multiple times on BBC Breakfast, which further amplified their story.
Celebrity and Influencer Support: We brought in big names from sports and media to boost the campaign, landing endorsements and interviews that helped get the Lionesses’ story out there. Legends like John Terry, Rod Stewart, Gary Lineker, and Sam Ryder showed their support, with BBC News presenter John Watson giving us huge backing too.
- 20 million
- People reached through the campaign
- +£1m
- Worth of free media
- 120%
- Over £50k target
- 1
- Golden boot brought back from the World Cup
- 100s
- Of young people with limb differences inspired
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England Amputee Lionesses | Missing
The England Amputee Lionesses weren’t just missing funding to get to the World Cup - they were missing visibility. We built a campaign around what was truly The ‘Missing’ campaign highlighted their absence from media, funding, and the pitch itself.
