KICK IT OUT RECEIVE ANNUAL JUST A BALL GAME? AWARD - MEDIA RELEASE.

KICK IT OUT RECEIVE ANNUAL JUST A BALL GAME? AWARD.

On Thursday 9^th November 2017 here at JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) we celebrated our 7^th birthday.

This year as in previous years, we looked at the good practise's shown by individuals and organisations who have partnered with us during the past 12 months helping to raise awareness around LGBT+ inclusion and visibility while also challenging homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) behaviour and bullying, and allocated our annual award.

We are pleased to announce that the 2017 JUST A BALL GAME? Challenging HBT Bullying Award goes to KICK IT OUT.

                                

Kick It Out is football’s equality and inclusion organisation.  A small independent charity, the ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’ campaign was established in 1993 in response to widespread calls from clubs, players and fans to tackle racist attitudes existing within the game. Kick It Out was then established as a body in 1997 as it widened out its objectives to cover all aspects of inequality and exclusion.

Earlier this year JBG? partnered with KICK IT OUT on a Home Office ‘LGBT Hate Crime in Football’ funded project to produce resources to educate match day staff and stewards on the issues of HBT behavior often heard in stadia within  the professional game.

CEO of Kick It Out Roisin Wood had this to say on receiving the award, “We are absolutely honored, on behalf of Kick It Out I want to say a big thank you, it’s been great working with you this year as we have for a number of years. We hope that some of the resources we have been doing and the support of the type of work you have been doing continues on.”

Media Release: Former Wales and Everton legend on board as patron of LGBT+ organisations.

Former Wales and Everton legend on board as patron of LGBT+ organisations.

We are happy to announce that former Wales and Everton legend Neville Southall MBE has joined us as a Patron of JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) and Bradford City LGBT+ fan group.

The former goalkeeper, who had a short spell at Bradford City alongside 92 caps for Wales and a record 578 appearances for the 'Toffees'  has for some time been an advocate for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans + inclusion through his social media platforms. Mr Southall agreed to take on the straight ally ambassador role to help take an important stand for an LGBT+ community by joining the campaign against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying in football and other sports.

Neville Southall is to champion the cause of both Bradford City LGBT+ fan group and JBG? stating: “I think it’s important that the football community and the LGBT+ community talk more, and maybe I can help?”

“I think it’s only a matter of time that a footballer will come out,” he says. “With the work of charities like Just A Ball Game?  we hope to make it a better environment to help that happen.” Tweeting in October 2017 Southall posted: “If your gay, straight trans or anything else you should be able to be what u want
(not live a lie) without discrimination or prejudice.”

The messages that JBG? send out are very much a big YES to equality, inclusion and diversity and NO to 'HBT' abuse or bullying.

Founder of JBG?  Lindsay England welcomes the involvement of the ex professional as, "A fantastic addition to the LGBT+ and straight alliance for both our JBG? educational campaign work, and raising the profile of the LGBT fan group at Bradford City."

End.