New Cov City deal hailed as ‘a new era for sport in the city’
COVENTRY’S three Labour MPS have all given an enthusiastic welcome to the deal between Wasps and Coventry City Football Club, with one describing it as “a new era for sport in the city”.
On Wednesday Wasps and the Sky Blues announced a deal which they said would build ‘stronger futures’ for both clubs.
The 10-year agreement will see the Sky Blues play their home matches at Ricoh Arena until 2031, from the start of the 2021/22 season.
Coventry North East MP Colleen
Fletcher said: “This is fantastic news. I am so pleased that after a lot of hard work behind the scenes both Wasps and Coventry City Football Club were able to come to an agreement.
“This marks a new era for sport in the city where past disagreements are firmly put behind us and we can all go forwards together supporting these two great teams that play out of the Ricoh Arena.”
Ms Fletcher also praised the bosses of both the Sky Blues and Wasps and added: “The deal is also a testament to courage and tenacity of the leadership of Coventry City Football Club and Wasps who had to work extremely hard to come to this agreement.
“We should therefore praise both Joy Seppala and Derek Richardson for making the necessary concessions to make this deal work.”
Zarah Sultana, Labour MP for Coventry South, said: “I am absolutely thrilled the Sky Blues will be playing football in Coventry once again next season.
“This is fantastic news for the fans and the whole of Coventry. The club should always have been playing their home matches in the city.
“Since I was elected in 2019, I have been determined to see the situation resolved.
“I have raised it in Parliament and met with representatives from the club, supporters’ groups, and Wasps. That a 10-year deal has now been reached is fantastic.
“I can’t wait for fans to return to stadiums and it will be even more special for us in Coventry with the Sky Blues returning to the city.”
Coventry North West MP Taiwo Owatemi said: “It is brilliant to see Sky Blues come back home.
“Having met with both fans and the club over the last two seasons, I know they’ll welcome this news.
“I’m delighted that they will now be able to return to Coventry where the club belongs.”
VICTIMS of rape and sexual assault in Coventry are currently facing up to a year-long wait for help.
Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) supports people who have been victims of rape, sexual abuse and sexual assault.
In 2019/20 alone they supported 2,933 people, including 230 children and young people aged between five and 18, and in total have helped more than 76,000 people.
They do vital work, particularly in supporting victims with going to court or reporting incidents to the police.
Statistics show that the drop-out rate of cases going to court decreases from 80 per cent to just three or four per cent when victims are helped by specialist support workers.
CRASAC’S work saves lives, but they have seen the number of people on their waiting list rise to more than 400, and some of those may be forced to wait over 12 months for help.
Natalie Thompson, CEO of CRASAC, has spoken out about the dangers of under-funding, and Coventry’s three MPS have joined her rallying call for action to ensure more is done to support this frontline service. “More needs to be done to ensure that frontline organisations such as CRASAC are able to provide the quality of support that victims and survivors deserve, and we will be working with our MPS to challenge this,” she said.
“The funding not only supports CRASAC’S counselling and specialist helpline services, but also our crisis and advocacy service which provides support to victims navigating the criminal justice system - something hugely important given that statistics show that rape prosecutions have fallen to an all- time low.” The Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA) that Ms Thompson is referring to support victims in dealing with police and the courts.
She explained: “With statistics demonstrating that the drop-out rate of cases going to court decreases from 80 per cent to just three or four per cent when an ISVA is providing support, it is clear that these services are vital for victims and survivors.”
Taiwo Owatemi, MP for Coventry North West, said: “To hear that, due to government underfunding, CRASAC
More needs to be done to ensure that frontline organisations such as CRASAC are able to provide the quality of support that victims and survivors deserve... Natalie Thompson
has a waiting list of more than 400 people is unacceptable, and although our local authorities are doing all they can, I would call on central government to provide more funding for charities that are providing these essential services.
“More also needs to be done to tackle the stigma around speaking about sexual violence, and it is important that our justice system makes those who do report rape or sexual violence feel supported and listened to.”
Colleen Fletcher, MP for Coventry North East, said: “CRASAC is providing vital local services for survivors of rape and sexual violence and I feel privileged to have supported the centre over a number of years.
“I know that funding issues are always difficult, yet this is not a service that we can afford to underfund in a fair and decent society.
“We need to ensure that victims feel able to come forward in the sure and certain knowledge that they will be supported through the justice system.”
Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, added: “For 40 years Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre has been providing invaluable support for women and survivors of sexual abuse in our city, but government underfunding has meant that while demand for CRASAC’S services has risen, their waiting list has grown.
“Sexual violence is an injustice that we must banish to the past.
“Through investing in services like CRASAC and in challenging behaviours that tolerate sexual abuse, we can give survivors the support they deserve.”
CRASAC was established in 1981 to offer a telephone counselling service to those who had been sexually abused.
It was initially run by volunteers but in 1990 was able to employ two fulltime members of staff and has since grown to employ more than 30 employees and many more volunteers.
This year is CRASAC’S 40th anniversary and they are looking for fundraisers to support the charity in reaching its target of raising £40,000 in 2021.
Natalie Thompson added: “[We] are challenging the lack of funding in the sector and the criminal justice system, which could be seen to be failing victims.
“We also want to wipe out the stigma around talking about sexual violence so even more survivors feel comfortable to come forward.”
CRASAC has launched a fundraising drive in a bid to raise funds and people can find out further details on how individuals or groups can support the charity by emailing fundraising@ crasac.org.uk
Anyone who has experienced rape or sexual violence at any time in their life and would like a confidential discussion can contact CRASAC’S helpline on 024 7627 7777.