Jane has a first class BA degree in Sociology from The University of Leeds and passed with Distinction her Masters in Politics With Research Methods at The University of Sheffield. Jane is committed to furthering social justice through her left leaning, socialist, vegan and feminist orientated writings and practices.

Jane is a part of Jay and Jane, working with Jay Baker in empowering individuals, groups & businesses to progress with positivity.

Jane is the Projects Manager for Libre Digital – a community organisation founded in 2010 that aims to widen access to technology and information by communities and for communities, increasing media literacy and digital inclusion. Jane is the Co-Founder, Secretary and player at AFC Unity, an indie women’s football club that also runs community projects to break down divisions and barriers in society. Jane is also a FA Level 1 qualified coach who helps lead AFC Unity’s Solidarity Soccer coaching initiative.

Jane has received some welcomed recognition for her writing. This involves being quoted by The Independent, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal. Furthermore, Jane has had articles published by a London based magazine called The Blog Paper and was included in @PhilBC’s top 100 independent tweeting political bloggers for 2012. This blog was also voted as one of the best 300 UK political blogs by Total Politics in 2010. Jane was the first undergraduate contributor to Public Sociology (a Leeds University Sociology and Social Policy blog).

Jane completed her first book, The Return to Doncatraz Reader, which is the official companion book for Return to Doncatraz. You can purchase this online for £1.00 with all money made from book purchases going back into the not-for-profit organisation SilenceBreaker Media to help with the production of alternative media and accessible technology for all.

Jane was the producer, researcher, co-writer and found archive footage for Return to Doncatraz, a guerilla documentary by Jay Baker about the elite’s retention of everything wrong about the post-war era, and rejection of all we got right.

Jane has played football since she has been able to walk, playing for several teams before finding her footballing home at AFC Unity – including Sheffield United Community Foundation, Meadowhead School and also had a spell at the Centre of Excellence. Most notably was Jane’s secondary school, Meadowhead, where she was involved in winning several league titles. In particular, in 2006, Meadowhead Girls Football Team won the ‘Treble’ – i.e. the league, South Yorkshire Cup and the ‘ESFA Royal Air-force Under 16 Schools’ Cup’. The latter competition resulted in them becoming the best girls’ school football team (14-16 years) in the country, seeing them play the final at West Bromwich Albion F.C. stadium, ‘The Hawthorns’, and Jane as captain.

Jane is an aspiring freestyle footballer and especially likes how freestyle embraces an empowerment, creative and skill sharing approach and reclaims public space.

If you wish to contact Jane, you can do so by emailing janewatkinson@gmail.com

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