England hockey star Tess Howard joins Right To Play as Ambassador

We're thrilled to announce that England and Great Britain hockey star Tess Howard MBE has joined Right To Play as an Ambassador for the charity.

Tess, who will represent England at the Hockey World Cup 2026 in Belgium and the Netherlands this August, has taken on the role in support of our mission to protect, educate and empower children through the power of sport and play.

As an Ambassador, Tess will help raise vital awareness and support for our global programmes, which use play to help children in some of the world's most challenging places overcome barriers, embrace opportunities and develop the skills they need to thrive.

Speaking about her new role, Tess said: "It's a great honour to join Right To Play as an Ambassador. Sport and play have been so important in my life, and in shaping who I am today. Play is a fundamental part of childhood – it's how children learn, grow, build confidence and discover what they're capable of. But millions of children globally are denied that opportunity because of poverty, conflict and inequality.

"That's why I support Right To Play and the charity's work to put play at the heart of childhood for all children. Every child, everywhere, must have access to this precious and fundamental right."

Gillian McMahon, Executive Director at Right To Play UK, said: "We're so excited that Tess has joined Right To Play as an Ambassador. Tess is a committed long-time advocate for inclusion and participation in sport, and her campaigning has helped to dismantle some of the barriers facing girls and young people. We're delighted to be working together with Tess to champion every child's right to play."

We're proud to welcome Tess to the Right To Play team and look forward to working together to create lasting change for children around the world through the power of play.