Village wear support on their sleeve

VILLAGE Manchester showed their great support for this year’s Rainbow Laces Campaign for Inclusive Football in their home match against Abacus Media Reserves.

As well as all of their team playing in the colourful rainbow laces their Captain wore a rainbow Captain’s armband and their excellent goalkeeper was outstanding in his rainbow jersey.

This year’s Rainbow Laces Campaign enjoyed support in the previous weekend’s fixtures in the L and C AFL.

Promoted by Stonewall, the campaign plays a key role in making sure sport is a game for everybody, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality.

It is certainly necessary when you consider research from the UK’s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity revealed that 43 per cent of people feel that sporting events are not welcoming spaces for LGBT people.

Much work needs to be done to eradicate this mentality, and the Rainbow Laces Campaign ran between 26 November – 13 December this season.

The theme was allyship, which focuses on the vital role of challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, while also supporting gender equality and equal civil rights.

One of the league’s most active teams in challenging inequality and prejudice is Village Manchester, and their players took to the pitch proudly sporting rainbow laces in their home encounter with Abacus Media.

L and C secretary Brian Davies has sent out a message to all clubs and players to encourage the league’s support of diversity.

Brian said: “As many of you will have seen, Rob Brown has joined the L and C committee to work on making the league more diverse and inclusive.

“Rob is inviting volunteers to join a league discussion group and if you wish to get involved, and feel you can contribute, please contact Rob on email rob.brown4462@ gmail.com.

“The aim of the group will be to find ways in which the league can engage with the diverse communities of the Manchester area.

“Football is for all, and the league committee want that message to become well known throughout the area.”