Mel C has praised the progress being made in women’s sport in Britain - saying they are “more visible and celebrated” than when she was young.

The singer, 51, best known as Sporty Spice in the Spice Girls, was speaking with England rugby star Natasha (Mo) Hunt ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup this summer. The Women’s football team will also compete at the Euros.

Mel said: “There’s so much happening for women’s sport. You know, we’ve had to fight to be noticed, to be taken seriously… That gives people more determination to succeed”.

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On her own daughter and sports, she added: “My daughter’s 16 and it’s been really interesting to me, to see how much more choice she has as a girl in sport. Sports more traditionally thought of as ‘mens’ are now more open to girls than ever.

“Today, female role models in football, rugby and all sports are absolutely smashing it, they are more visible and celebrated than when I was a child. It’s exciting to hear young girls saying, ‘I want to be a rugby player,’ and believing it’s possible. Now that I’ve got a daughter of my own, I realise how important it is to celebrate the incredible things women are doing not just in music, but in sport too. We’ve got to keep that momentum going.”

Mel and Natasha Hunt were talking as part of a campaign with Volvic and the pair reflected on their careers, their shared values and the power of female role models.

New YouGov research shows 87%* of women believe team sports help girls build life skills like teamwork, resilience and leadership. Volvic’s Force of Nature Fund is offering grants up to £5,000 to help more girls across the UK get into the game.

Mel said she takes performing gigs so seriously it is almost like she is preparing for a sporting event.

She said: “I'm really conscious of being in the best physical condition that I can be for my performances. I want to give the best performance I can. I think about how hard people have worked to buy the tickets to pay for their transport, accommodation, you know, all of those things. I think I need to be on my A game because people have really put themselves out to be here to support me.”

On her favourite performances she added: “The Spice Girls had some insane moments. But for me, being Sporty Spice performing at London 2012, felt like I was performing for my country. I was ready to go and get a tattoo to mark the moment and everything! It was incredible, an absolute highlight of my career.”

Natasha earned her first senior cap in 2011 and is a true force of nature with her dedication and remarkable performances, inspiring young girls to play rugby.

She said: “When I was little, there were very few role models to look up to. I think that Sporty Spice, pretty much stands out in terms of somebody that we could actually pin our hat on and say, I want to be like that.”

The new research from Volvic revealed that 80%* of women agree that female athletes like England’s rugby team are inspirational role models, yet 73% of women aged 35+ felt they didn’t have one growing up.

Digging deeper, 84% of women agree that it is important for the next generation to have visible female athletes to encourage participation.

* Sporty Spice, Mel C discusses being a role model with England Rugby star Natasha Hunt, supporting Volvic’s Force of Nature Fund.