Players and staff from Hampstead Women+ celebrate turning 20 with World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi

WORLD Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi joined players from one of London’s fastest-growing women’s rugby clubs on Saturday to help celebrate “a very significant milestone”.

More than 50 past and present players from Hampstead Women+ gathered at the Owl & Hitchhiker pub in Holloway to mark the club turning 20 years old.

The venue was decorated with more than 200 photos featuring Hampstead players from across the decades. The night concluded with a thank-you to this season’s outgoing coaches, Barry Hall, Ella Kendall-Chahine and Sophia Kendall-Chahine, followed by an end-of-season awards ceremony.

Geraldine Chapman, who was voted the coach’s first-team player of the season, pictured with coach Barry Hall

Alphonsi praised “the special club” and its foun­ders for all their efforts over the years. The former Saracens flanker, who helped England win the World Cup in 2014, said: “It was a fantastic eve­n­ing. I felt truly honoured to be there. To celebrate 20 years is a very signi­ficant milestone for any club.

“Hampstead is a special club with great people. I loved hearing the many stories from past and present players and learning about how the women’s team got started.

“The founding members are amazing and should be very proud with the legacy they have left. I look forward to coming back to celebrate their 40th anniversary in another 20 years!”

‘Person of the Year’ Harriet Orrell with Ms Alphonsi

Surely the most special guest of all, however, was club founder Eleanor Gaskell-Taylor. She set up Hampstead Ladies, as it was then known, in the summer of 2004 after being encouraged to join a men’s training session on Hampstead Heath.

Using flyers to promote the new club, more players soon joined, and by 2010 Hampstead were fielding two teams, and catering for more than 50 players of all abilities – a far cry from the six or so players who took part in the early training sessions two decades ago.

‘Most Improved Player’ winner Hannah Morgan with coach Ella Kendall-Chahine and Ms Alphonsi

In 2022 the club changed its name to Hampstead Women+ to reflect the diverse com­munity within both the club and women’s sport.

“It makes me feel very proud that 20 years on the Women+ club is going strong,” said Gaskell-Taylor. “I couldn’t imagine that all those years ago, when I turned up on my own, that we would end up with two teams.

“I can’t really take the credit though, we have got here because of all the hard work and dedication of all those who came after me.”

• To find out about join­ing Hampstead Women+ email hampsteadladies@gmail.com