EQuIP host successful sports event to raise awareness of racism and hate crime

Warwickshire Charity, The Equality and Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) have used football to successfully bring people from different communities and backgrounds together at an event recently (Sunday 7th July 2019).

The community event which consisted of a children’s football competition, workshop for parents/volunteers and celebration meal was an effective way of bringing people together, celebrating team work, promoting community cohesion and raising awareness of racism and hate crime in sport.

The event was held at Rugby Borough Football Club in Warwickshire supported over 60 people that came from different parts of the county including Rugby, Southam, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa.

The football competition involved four teams which was made up of local children players ranging from 7 to 11-year olds. Teams were selected at random, with many of the children not knowing each other before the comepetition.

Very quickly, a team capatin was selcted and the teams had a matter of minutes to organise themselves into positions and work together as a team   

Teams played each other twice in a champions league style format, with the winning team receiving gold, runners up receiving silver and the remaining players received a bronze participation medal.

Teams adopted the names of professional clubs from different parts of the world. Bayern Munich Juniors were the champions of the ‘EQuIP Community Shield’ with Juventus finishing runners up by only one point!

Each match was played in excellent sprit and the sun was shinning throughout the day, enabling parents and carers to come together and watch the children enjoy the event.

Whilst the players where eating some food and relaxing after the competition, parents, carers and volunteers from local football teams participated in a workshop which was presented by EQuIP Chief Executive, Mr Junaid Hussain.

Mr Hussain commented ‘Sport is an effective way to bring people from all backgrounds together and we are delighted that so many people have been able to attend todats event. We feel this event has met the aims set out at the start of the day’. Mr Hussain also highlighted the importance of acceptable, treating people fairly and celebrating difference.  

Some of the families and children particiapting in the event have migrated to England in recent years from counties including Poland, Czech Republic, Iraq and the Carribean. There were also second and and third generation migrants at the event from counties as far as India, Pakistan and Africa, so collectively, a very diverse auidence which helped meet the objectives of the event. 

The event was supported by ‘Kick It Out' who are the English football’s equality and inclusion organisation. Kick It Out have been around since 1993 and they initial set out to tackle racism in football. In more recent years, Kick It Out has broadened its remit to cover all aspects of discrimination, inequality and exclusion.

EQuIP were very grateful for the support they have received from Kick It Out and this was highlight in their introduction and closing speeches at the event.

You can visit the Kick it Out website if you wish to know more about their work, projects and campaigns.  

For more information about EQuIP’s work, please visit the EQuIP website.