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-GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS (TUC) FRANCES O’GRADY BECOMES A PATRON OF JUST A BALL GAME?

                                    

  

 

    GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS  (TUC)   FRANCES O’GRADY BECOMES A PATRON OF JUST A BALL GAME?

 

Anti-discrimination campaign organisation JUST A BALL GAME? are extremely honoured and  privileged in announcing  the General Secretary of the TUC, Frances O’Grady, is to become  one of our Patrons.
Frances, a North London resident and a long term Arsenal supporter, as an experienced campaigner and a leader, will be a fantastic addition to the organisation with her high profile and commitment to supporting an LGBT community, helping to raise awareness on LGBT inclusion and visibility as a straight ally.

Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC, said:
“I’m proud to become a patron of ‘Just A Ball Game?’. There should be no room for hate and homophobia in what is the beautiful game. The TUC is committed to stamping out prejudice against LGBT people in football, at work and in society. Together, we’ve made a lot of progress but there’s still a long way to go before everyone is treated with the dignity and respect we all have the right to expect.”

Bradford Councillor and Labour Party member Richard Dunbar says:
 “I am proud to be involved with Just A Ball Game? and working to ensure that homophobia and discrimination is challenged in football grounds, schools and other settings across the country. To have Frances O’Grady as Just A Ball Game?’s new patron is a great endorsement of the work done by the organisation. The struggles of the Trade Union movement and LGBT communities are similar and so we will be unrelenting in challenging homophobia and other discrimination through education and therefore ensure equality and acceptance  win the day.”

A Sporting Partnership

JUST A BALL GAME?

EVENT:  THURSDAY 1^ST OCTOBER 6:30- 9:30PM AT BRADFORD BREWERY.

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A SPORTING PARTNERSHIP

Just a Ball Game? has teamed up with Bradford Brewery to create a new unique  partnership. On the 1^st October, the brewery will be launching a beer named Just a Ball Game? and launching a safe space for LGBT sports fans on match days. 

Additionally, on the night, a new Bradford City LGBT Supporters Group will be officially launched, with the Twitter account  @BFDCITYLGBT. The new fan club is endorsed by Bradford City Football Club, who are already proudly displaying the banner.
“Bradford City FC is delighted that Just a Ball Game? has achieved this support from the Bradford Brewery. The Club has worked closely with Just a Ball Game? since its inception and they have always provided sensible and practical support for the Club as it looks to attract LGBT fans to its home games.

We are a Club that is open to all and Just a Ball Game? has helped Bradford City FC to ensure its fan-base is fully inclusive.  We thank Bradford Brewery for their support for this venture and hope that the organisational links helps Just a Ball Game?  to go from strength-to-strength.” David Dowse, Facilities Manager, Bradford City FC.

During the course of the evening, there will be a Q&A session with invited guests including Gerry Sutcliffe, the former Sports Minister and Councillor Richard Dunbar. Alongside this there will be an educational exhibition on display, entitled “Time for Action”, and memorabilia from the women’s football game.

Support for these initiatives’ has come from many people including the Leader  of Bradford Council, David Green, “I welcome this initiative applaud the organisers in making sure that the peoples game is open and safe for all people to enjoy. It is great to see one of our new local businesses getting involved in this community initiative and supporting one of our great sporting clubs”

The beer will be a traditional English Best Bitter containing pale malt, crystal malt, wheat, caramel and chocolate malt with a royal gold colour.

In addition to being on sale at the Bradford Brewery, the beer will also be sale at Al’s Dime Bar, on North Parade.

Lindsay England, founder of JBG? said, “ Just a Ball Game? are very proud of the partnerships with both Bradford Brewery, and Al’s Dime Bar. Who, as of the 1^st October will be selling a beer with our brand name on it to mark the launch of the LGBT safe space and Bradford City LGBT fan group.”

 A spokesperson for the brewery had this to add: "Bradford Brewery are pleased to support Just a ball Game? It is important that individuality within sport is celebrated. We are all one team."- Alison of Bradford Brewery.

It’s hoped the branded beer, safe space and LGBT fan group will help to evolve an LGBT /straight alliance and inspire other communities to do similar.

The launch is a free event, and open to all who wish to support the venture.

Event support from:

 

JBG? Ladies qualify for FA Futsal Cup Finals

                                             JBG? Ladies qualify for FA Futsal Cup Finals

After a marathon 20+ week league season JBG? Ladies Futsal Team secured a place in the FA North Semi Finals of the Futsal Cup. The team were placed in Group B alongside Liverpool Futsal Ladies, Middlesbrough Ladies FC and Loughborough and finished as group winners and now progress to the FA Futsal Cup Finals which will be played in London in June at the iconic Copper Box Arena home to many of GB's Olympians in 2012.

The JBG? Ladies narrowly lost their first game 2-3 to Liverpool Futsal Ladies and were disappointed that this was due to a refereeing technicality, the JBG? team dominated possession throughout with Chantelle Parry scoring a brace.
Next up were Loughborough who had hit 5 in their opening game. Once again JBG? controlled the game, this time team manager Steph Ashton-Smith popping up with a fine hat trick and Ali Hindley adding a forth. The Loughborough team worked hard with a 2v 1 upfront to close down the scoreline but JBG? earned 3 points with in the end a comfortable 4-2 win.

So, with all 4 teams on 3 points each there was a big 'cup final' to be played out in the last game between FA WPL team Middlesborough Ladies FC and JBG? with a win needed to progress.
The 'Boro Ladies started strongly and raced into 3-1 lead at half time. It was the JBG? indiscipline letting them down with them being reduced to 4 players when Ali Hindley was ordered from the field of play after receiving 2 yellow cards in quick succession. The JBG? Ladies dug in and forced the score back level to 3-3 with just a further 4 minutes left on the clock. As the team were about to call a time-out keeper Leanne Ashton-Smith made a fantastic double save but in doing so was knocked unconscious and play was help up for several minutes while treatment was given. Ashton-Smith was deemed fine to continue and the game was restarted.
The JBG? Ladies pushed forward at every opportunity and brushed the woodwork on no less than 3 occasions. Then with just 1m 49 seconds left on the clock, the pressure was rewarded and defender Melissa Cook found inspiration and in turn the back of the net to make the final score 4-3 and JBG? Ladies were had booked their place in the  FA Futsal Cup Finals 2015.

TUC launch toolkit for unions to tackle homophobia in football- with JBG?

 

TUC launches toolkit for unions to tackle homophobia in football

A toolkit designed to stamp out homophobia in football is being launched today (Wednesday) by the TUC as part of a concerted action by unions and their allies.
The toolkit is to help unions challenge the prejudice faced by many LGBT people in football and wider sport. It was written and designed by members of the TUC alliance against homophobia and transphobia in football in association with The Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Just a Ball Game? – a campaign which challenges homophobia and promotes LGBT participation in sport.
The toolkit includes practical ideas and advice for union members on how they can best tackle homophobia at club level and what kind of resources they may need.
The toolkit will be launched at the TUC’s headquarters by Frances O’Grady, the TUC General Secretary, with members of the alliance including Gordon Taylor from the PFA, Maria Exall, chair of the TUC LGBT committee, and Lindsay England from Just a Ball Game? The launch is also being supported by Stonewall, the Gay Football Supporters’ Federation and the Inclusion Adviser at the Football Association.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

”Unions are continuing to do outstanding work promoting equality at work and in society in general. This toolkit will help them reinforce the message that there is absolutely no place for homophobia in football or indeed any kind of sport.
“Union activists have used this approach at a number of professional clubs in the past and we want to build on those successes.”

The event will take place at 1pm at TUC headquarters, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS.


- The TUC alliance toolkit Tackling Homophobia in Football can be found at http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality-issues/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-rights/tackling-homophobia-football
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
 

 http://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/TacklingHomophobiaToolkit.pdf