Millie Bright OBE's commendation video transcript

Millie Bright OBE

PROFESSOR WARREN MANNING: Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Lieutenant, Mayor of Derby, Honoured guests, Graduands of 2024, and all our guests here today. It gives me great pleasure to be presenting Millie Bright OBE for the award of Doctor of the University.

Millie Bright needs no introduction as a professional footballer who captained England to the Women's World Cup Final in 2023 and is current captain of Chelsea Women's Football Club. She is one of the biggest names in women's football and a passionate advocate for sport. She's best known for being a pillar of the Lionesses' defence. 'Thunderous tackles' are her calling card.

Originally from Killamarsh, North-East Derbyshire, Millie preferred horses to the football pitch in her younger years. She grew up around horses and her aim was always to be a dressage rider. That is until she caught the football bug. She spent some of her early childhood in hospital with bouts of asthma, having developed pneumonia as a baby. But she never let that hold her back.

She turned to football at age nine and after watching a friend play for her local team, Killamarsh Dynamos, she decided to give it a go. Her talent shone on the pitch and she was scouted by Sheffield United, joining their academy team before moving to Doncaster Rovers Belles at the age of 16.

She signed her professional contract with Chelsea in 2014, and is now the longest continuously serving player. In 2016, having shone at Under-23s level for England and captained the side, she was awarded her first cap for the Lionesses. The same year she was named England Young Player of the Year, as well as being voted Chelsea Players' Player of the Year. She was the only England player to start every match at Euro 2017.

And since joining Chelsea, Millie has picked up a swathe of domestic honours, including seven FA Women's Super League titles, five Women's FA Cups and two Women's League Cups.

She represented Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and in the summer of 2022, she was part of the history-making Lionesses side to win the UEFA Women's European Championships, and, as we know, clinching England their first international title since 1966. She went on to captain England to a second place finish against Spain at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.

Millie was awarded an OBE in the King's New Year's Honours List 2024 for services to football. She received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Sheffield Hallam University in 2021 for her contribution to women's football, and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Sheffield just yesterday. And she's also been awarded Freedom of the County, making an Honorary Freewoman at the County of Derbyshire.

Millie has represented her country at the highest level, both for her club and for England, and we are sure there is much, much more to come. She's an inspirational local role model for young girls, for everyone and for all our graduates here today.

Joining Millie to celebrate today are her mum and dad, Nicola and Stephen, grandparents, Margaret and Arthur, and Millie's agent, Sue. 

Chancellor, in recognition of her achievements in high performance sport and as an outstanding role model and ambassador for Derbyshire, we are delighted to award Millie Bright OBE the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

MILLIE BRIGHT OBE: Good afternoon. Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Lieutenant, Mayor of Derby, Honoured guests, Graduands of 2024, and all family and loved ones present with us today. Thank you to the orator for your very kind words. You put it a lot better than I would have myself, so thank you for that.

Thank you to the University for awarding me with this honorary degree. I feel very honoured to be here, spending this special day with you all.

I think if there's one thing that we all have in common is that we've reached success.

My message is our paths may look very different, our backgrounds are certainly different, however, for me, my inspiration is making sure that all the young boys and girls out there know that no matter what your journey looks like, you can reach success.

And I think it's important that there's no script to success. Everyone can reach it. It just depends on which path you go down to get there.

So congratulations to everyone. I know how hard you've all worked and the sacrifices that you've given, so make sure you celebrate this day with your loved ones.

Thank you to my family as always, for believing in me, following me across the world and dedicating your time to me, I'm delighted to receive this award, but mainly it is for you.

Thank you everybody and enjoy your day.

Millie Bright OBE's commendation video

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