Media Release: GMB Trade Union National President on board as Patron.

GMB Trade Union National President on board as Patron.

Sport LGBT+ campaign organisation JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) are delighted to announce that Barbara Plant, National President of GMB Trade Union has joined them as an ally and Patron.

A sporting environment at grass roots or professional level is as regular a workplace as any other and covers many different occupations alongside volunteer opportunities.

 

For some time now JBG? and the GMB have partnered up on various events looking at challenging homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) abuse in football and other sports, while at the same time raising awareness and visibility around LGBT+ inclusion and having the union’s president is a further step forward.

 “As GMB National President I am delighted and so proud to become a patron of Just A Ball Game? and stand in solidarity with its aims.”

“ The work that JBG? does in promoting LGBT+ equality, inclusion and diversity in the world of sport is so important and necessary. Fighting discrimination in the workplace is something we do daily as trade unionists.”- Barbara Plant.

JBG?’s London officer Samantha McLaughlin says, “Barbara is and always has been a supportive ally and a strong activist for equality issues, having her as one of our patrons will enable us to evolve JBG?  using the power of the union both regionally and nationally.” 

https://www.gmb.org.uk/

End.

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.”

WELCOME ON BOARD NEW PATRON- DONCASTER ROVERS BELLES- NICOLA HOBBS

WELCOME ON BOARD NEW PATRON- NICOLA HOBBS.

Here at JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) we are very pleased to announce Doncaster Rovers Belles  goalkeeper NICOLA HOBBS as our latest addition to our patrons.

Born in Portsmouth Nicola’s family moved to Lincolnshire for her primary and secondary school years, it was here as a teenager she became aware of her sexual orientation. “I was aware that I fancied the same sex at an early age but was confused and didn't express this fully till I was 16.”

Football is only one of Nicola’s skills her full time job is that of a fire-fighter.

Nicola says. “I came out before starting work but all my colleagues have been fantastic with it. Some have seen it as a negative and say I am a tick in the box but I don't really care for attitudes like that so I ignore it or report it if it's offensive.”

“At the ‘Belles’ all my team mates are amazing with it as they are friends and I am who I am, just like they are, and I wouldn't change any of them.”

Nicola had this to say about becoming a figurehead for the campaign organisation. “It's a massive privilege to be a patron to JBG? it is a very important cause and support mechanism that could change people's lives. It's an honour to have been asked.”

http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/patrons