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Politicians and Sports Stars Unite
Against Racism
 Local politicians and sports stars are joining forces this weekend in a
united stance against racism. Wigan Borough’s Kick Racism out of Football
campaign, co-ordinated by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, begins this
week with a string of football festivals, art workshops and educational
events taking place.
The national anti-racism week of action, organised by football’s
anti-racism campaign ‘Kick It Out’, will take place between the 13th and
25th October. For twelve days in October the biggest names in football
will come together with fans, their clubs, ethnic minority communities and
more than a million amateur footballers to send out a united message
against racism and in celebration of diversity in the game.
In Wigan and Leigh the campaign is building on last year’s success to
highlight the positive message being cascaded nationally. On Sunday 16th
October, Westleigh High School, will host the first of two community
football festivals. Amongst the ranks will be a Councillor Chris Ready’s
team comprising of local politicians (including MPs Andy Burnham and Neil
Turner) and Wigan Athletic’s media man Matt McCann.
The whole event will be ‘kicked off’ by Council Leader Lord Peter Smith
with a similar event taking place in Wigan on 23rd October at Abraham
Guest High School, Orrell.
“Football is unique in that it crosses the boundaries of society and plays
a crucial role in breaking down barriers and creating goodwill. The Kick
It Out campaign gives us all the opportunity to stand up and be counted
and to show that as a community we will not tolerate racism,” says Andy
Burnham MP. “I have been heavily involved with the national campaign since
1998 and it is very pleasing for me to see that the campaign in Leigh and
Wigan is so active and is supported so strongly by the Trust and our local
sporting teams.”
The 2005 boroughwide campaign has also received strong backing from all
four major sports clubs (Wigan Athletic, Leigh RMI, Leigh Centurions and
Wigan Warriors), who have provided complimentary match tickets,
educational support and strong vocal backing for the campaign.
The ambassador for the 2005 campaign is Wigan Athletic’s Jason Roberts,
“Racism is outdated and backward and there is no place for it in the
modern world. I am glad I have been given the opportunity to speak to
young people and to educate them about the need for people to be judged by
their actions, not by the colour of their skin.”
The 2005 activities also include:
• Turnpike Centre, Leigh – National History of Black Footballers
Exhibition (10th to 22nd Oct), including a drop in arts workshop on
Saturday 22nd between 10.30 and 12.30. Aimed at 8 to 14 year olds, the
workshop will produce a football related sculpture in a fun and creative
way.
• Anti-Racist Education – Schools across the borough have been provided
with curriculum resource packs to educate children on the importance of
racial tolerance and cultural understanding.
• School Tournaments – From November 2nd to 16th, children from years 6 to
9 will take part in fun football tournaments at the JJB Soccerdome.
“Less than twelve months ago England’s finest black players were racially
abused at the Bernabeu in Madrid in front of millions watching on
television. The response from the nation was a unified call for action,”
says Lord Herman Ouseley, Chairman of Kick It Out. “Given that these
scenes were once common place in England we felt that this response was
one to be proud of and signalled how initiatives such as the Week of
Action are essential in continually underlining our opposition to racism
and inequality.”
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust on 01942 486937 or at c.dunbar@wlct.org
Photo Opportunities: Leader of the Council Lord Peter Smith, will
officially kick off the community football festival at 12pm on Sunday,
16th October at Westleigh High School.
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