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Media Call: Press are invited to attend the
performance of ‘Let’s Come Together’ at 1.30pm at Leigh Central Primary
School or 2pm at Sacred Heart Primary School on Tuesday 17th October.
Wigan Athletic’s Emmerson Boyce and Andy Webster will be present.
Contact Chris Dunbar on 01942 486937.
School children in Leigh have joined forces with Wigan Borough’s ‘Kick
Racism out of Football’ team to produce a positive song encouraging
racial harmony across the local community.
Two primary schools, Leigh Central and Sacred Heart (Leigh), teamed up
with the campaign to write and record ‘Let’s Come Together’ in
conjunction with the Harmony Youth Project and now have the chance to
perform their self-penned song in front of their football heroes.
The children involved will be performing their song live in front of
Wigan Athletic stars Emmerson Boyce and Andrew Webster, during the 'Kick
It Out' week of action on Tuesday 17th October. All of the Year 6
children involved will each be presented with a copy of the song on CD.
The children involved live in an area where there has been a significant
increase in the number of ethnic minority families over recent years.
During the project, the children discussed what ethnic diversity and
racism meant to them and from their thoughts drafted their own verses,
complete with an accompanying rap. They then refined their lyrics and
recorded their work in a professional studio at Pembec High School.
John Hesketh, Community Regeneration Manager for Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust, said, “We are delighted to have had such a keen interest
from the children involved in this project. They showed great enthusiasm
and commitment throughout and, as well as having great fun, I believe
they now have a fresh outlook on the changing ethnic make-up of their
community.
John continued, “This is one of a number of activities we have been
involved in during the campaign through our close partnership with the
football club and other local networks. This kind of activity shows the
value of the Kick It Out campaign and proves that football can reach
beyond the borders of the pitch to positively impact on race relations
in our communities.”
Wigan Athletic has shown its commitment to the campaign by signing up to
the Race Equality Standard developed by ‘Kick It Out’ and the Premier
League. They have also offered the JJB Stadium as a venue to report hate
crimes of any nature. The ‘Kick It Out’ message will be vociferously
conveyed at Wigan Athletic’s home game versus Manchester City on 21st
October, where all of the children involved with ‘Let’s Come Together’
will be in attendance.
Wigan Athletic’s star defender Emmerson Boyce, said, “I can’t wait to
hear the song and meet all of the children who helped to write it. If we
are to stamp racism out of football and rid it from our streets it is
important that the message gets through to people at a very young age.
It is really encouraging to see such young people taking pleasure in
learning such a positive message. For me football and music are the
perfect combination to fight against racism.”
Additionally, as part of Black History Month, the Turnpike Gallery in
Leigh will host ‘Pioneers and Past Masters’ through to 30th October. The
exhibition highlights the huge contribution made by black players to the
history of football in this country.
Lord Herman Ouseley, Kick It Out Chair, commented, “More than a million
people will join hands during the week of action under the banner, ‘One
Game, One Community’. The period will highlight football’s popularity
amongst communities stretching from the length and breadth of the
country and celebrate the power the game has in bringing different
people together. We hope this show of unity will illustrate how football
can lead the way in promoting inclusion and celebrating diversity.”
The Kick Racism out of Football campaign in the Wigan Borough is
co-ordinated by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and Wigan Athletic, with
support from many organisations including Wigan Council and its Out of
School Hours Learning Team, Leigh RMI, Wigan and Leigh United Against
Racism and Greater Manchester Police.
For further information about local work contact John Hesketh on 01942
486916. For further information about the national ‘Kick It Out’
campaign visit
www.kickitout.org
-ends-
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.
Kick It Out: For further information on the national Kick It Out
campaign, please see
www.kickitout.org.
Lyrics: ‘Let’s Come Together’:
VERSE
What do you do when people think of you?
By your colour, your religion, or your culture,
The colour of your skin, or the religion that you’re in,
It doesn’t matter where you’re from,
Why call us names when were all just the same,
RAP 1
Just to look tall lets give it a pop,
Kick racism out of football full stop,
You respect others they respect you,
Regardless of colours and the things we do,
Keep friendship in the game to last longer,
Have no one to blame and stand stronger,
RAP 2
I’m sure that we can unite together,
We need to lose racism forever,
Why get bitten like a vulture,
Calling names coz of race and culture,
Don’t think that you’re being cool,
Coz we know that it is cruel.
VERSE
What do you do when people think of you?
By your colour, your religion, or your culture,
The colour of your skin, or the religion that you’re in,
It doesn’t matter where you’re from,
Why call us names when were all just the same,
REPEAT X 2
So take my hand,
Let’s stand together;
Let’s make the game, the world, a little better.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to ensure that people across the Wigan Borough have the
opportunity to become more physically, mentally and creatively active.
It also aims to increase community activity and to encourage good
citizenship.
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