Momentum Between Moments — The Movement We All Build

Nicky Affleck
Nov 28, 2025
3 min read

Turning inspiration into infrastructure so moments become movements.

We’ve talked about what it means to be Built Differently—this next chapter is about how we move differently, too. As a women-powered sport and social impact consultancy, we see every layer of the system: governance and leadership, partnerships and activation, delivery and culture. That perspective makes us different—unparalleled in design, grounded in lived experience, and focused on turning moments into momentum.

Major events give visibility. But real change for women and girls happens after the spotlight moves on. That’s when the entire ecosystem needs to move—clubs, schools, funders, brands, local authorities, and the people leading them. And yes, that includes men as everyday allies: dads, coaches, captains, decision-makers.

The big moments are easy to celebrate—the noise, the energy, the spotlight. Movements are built quietly—in the space between them. In those spaces, we choose to lift as we rise—by design, not by accident:

Girls’ voices shaping what’s offered, not added at the end
Women leading and mentoring—and being resourced to do both
Men opening doors, sharing power, and modelling welcome

Women’s sport doesn’t transform through tournaments alone. It transforms in school halls, community spaces, and boardrooms where decisions are made—when every part of the ecosystem moves together.

At Affleck & Co., that’s our work. We help organisations review where they are and how inclusive their systems really are; accelerate impact through governance, leadership, partnerships, and delivery; and design change that lasts—not just until the next funding cycle. When each part moves, the whole system shifts. That’s how moments start to matter longer.

The Ecosystem Effect

Progress in sport doesn’t belong to one organisation or one moment. It lives in the spaces between, where everyday decisions stack up to create cultural change.

Across the system we see:

Schools building confidence early
Clubs creating belonging
Funders investing beyond events
Brands and NGBs aligning impact with purpose
Men using influence to widen the door

If one part slows, momentum stalls. When every part moves together, the field changes. Our role is to help organisations see the whole picture and spot the gaps—from governance and leadership to delivery and culture—so action is coherent, not siloed.

Where Movement Really Happens

The most important work rarely trends. It happens on Monday nights in community halls, in school gyms after hours, in boardrooms where small decisions shape big futures. We support the people and programmes who keep the lights on between events:

Embedding equity in governance so it’s standard, not optional
Building partnerships that connect elite visibility to grassroots access
Turning learning from one organisation into blueprints for many

That’s where momentum lives—and where movements begin.

From Inspiration to Infrastructure

Every major event proves the same thing: the demand is there. Girls want to play. Women want to lead. Communities want to belong. The challenge isn’t inspiration—it’s infrastructure. Translating intent into action looks like:

Governance that reflects diverse leadership
Partnerships that connect brands, funders, and communities
Programmes that convert visibility into access
Language and storytelling that shift culture

If we want inspiration to stick, we must build the structures that hold it—physical, financial, and cultural.

The Long Game

Change takes time—and it takes all of us. No single campaign, event, or organisation can move the dial alone. Culture changes through rhythm: steady, shared, collective. The long game looks like:

Girls’ voices heard year-round
Women’s leadership normalised, not novel
Men redistributing opportunity and sharing the load
Communities owning delivery with real resource
Organisations aligning governance, culture, and impact

At Affleck & Co., we’re committed to helping the sport and social impact ecosystem hold that momentum—reviewing what’s working, re-designing what’s not, and building capacity to lead the next phase of change.

What You Can Do Next

Name one change you’ll make this quarter to turn inspiration into sustained movement.
Strengthen one piece of infrastructure—physical, financial, or cultural—before the next big event.
Back the backbone: fund the people and the invisible hours that make belonging possible.
Share what works: treat knowledge as infrastructure so others start further forward.

What would it take for your organisation to turn inspiration into sustained movement—and who could you bring with you to make it happen?