SOPHIE COOK JOINS AS FIRST TRANS PATRON

                     JUST A BALL GAME? MEDIA RELEASE- For immediate release. 

 

SOPHIE COOK JOINS AS FIRST TRANS PATRON.

Everyone at Just A Ball Game? (JBG?) is excited to announce that we have a new Patron on board in Sophie Cook.

Sophie will be our first Trans Patron and she will mould right in to JBG? with a wealth of experience as both a rock photographer for band The Libertines and Premier League photographer at AFC Bournemouth. Along side of this, Sophie now regulary attends LGBT events across the country as a motivational speaker touching on subjects such as overcoming fear in life and business, diversity and inclusion, LGBT issues and sports.

In the past Sohie has served in the RAF, been a motorbike racer, and also a newspaper editor. And it was that RAF grounding that's been a support network during Sophie's coming out story: “In the RAF we were a very close knit team, we knew that we could rely on the other team members, even now 30 years later we are a team and I received nothing but support from them when I came out as transgender. “

Sophie had this to say about joinging JBG? campaign organisation: “ Becoming a Patron of Just A Ball Game? is so important as it's a great way for me to show my support for the outstanding work that they are doing to increase diversity and inclusion within sports. LGBT people should never feel excluded from watching or participating in the sports that they love.”

For more information on Sophie Cook please see her website: http://www.sophiecook.me.uk/

Contact for further information:info@justaballgame.co.uk


Supported by:

 

FC United of Manchester Men's and Women's teams, join JUST A BALL GAME? as partner clubs.

FC United of Manchester Men's and Women's teams, join JUST A BALL GAME? as partner clubs.

Great news that both the men's and women's teams from FC United of Manchester have simultaneously signed up as one of our partner clubs over the last few days.

In a show of support for JBG? as a campaign organisation and also the fact that February is LGBT History Month, the club had installed our banners in the stadium and 3G training pitch (where the women play) and during recent games the players warmed up wearing out JBG? t-shirts.
Added to this an article was produced in the match day programme and announcements made over the tannoy system before the game and again during half time to inform supporters of the partnership. Many of our resources and information flyers we handed out at the games, and the social club on hosted our TIME FOR ACTION educational exhibition over the weekend.

All this was done by the club and we at JBG? could not have asked for any more.
Founder of JBG? Lindsay England had this to say:
"Its great to see a young progressive club which is fan based reaching out to a local community, the people I have engaged with are very dedicated and busy on match days to help make things go as smoothly as possible and you are a credit to the football family.
I wish you well in your fortunes on the pitch for both men's and women's teams future success and look forward to partnering with you all again."

Follow us on TWITTER: @justaballgame 

Find out more about the work JBG? do here:http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/
See our partner clubs here: http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/partners/partner-clubs

Photos from the event days with FCUM can be seen on our FACEBOOK page:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1055196944516197.1073741828.247338768635356&type=3

Event days and resources supported by:

Bedfordshire FA sign as partner organisation.

 Bedfordshire FA sign as partner organisation.

We are very happy to announce that one of the latest organisations to join JUST A BALL GAME? as a partner is, Bedfordshire FA.

Here is what Beds FA had to say, for more info please contact: Beds FA Inclusion and Safeguarding officer Sarah DaCosta sarah.dacosta@bedfordshirefa.com

1st February marked the beginning of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month which will see a string of events, initiatives and projects launched across the United Kingdom.

The overall aim of LGBT History month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public. The month honours the lives and achievements of the LGBT community whilst seeking to promote the welfare of LGBT people and raise awareness of important issues involving the community.

Just A Ball Game? Workshop
To celebrate LGBT History Month at Beds FA, on Wednesday February 10th, Lindsay England from Just A Ball Game? deliverd a workshop to staff and volunteers to raise awareness of inclusion and LGBT equal opportunities in football from grassroots to elite. Everybody was made welcome to attend the workshop which was free and lasted around  1 ½ hours.

Lindsay England is the founder of Just A Ball Game?, a  campaign group which helps both grass roots and professional sports groups, organisations , authorities, along with governments, education establishments and trade unions build on their existing work. The aim is to deliver the core values of 'SiR' SAFETY-INCLUSION-RESPECT around LGBT people, sexual orientation and gender identity. Further information can be found at their website here: www.justaballgame.co.uk

Lindsay is a member of the new Beds FA IAG (Inclusion Advisory Group) and we are really excited to be working with Lindsay and all the members of the IAG who bring a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience to the group.

Resources and presentation supported by: