Rochdale dedicated Saturday’s match versus Blackpool to the Kick It Out campaign, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, supporting its work.
Both sets of players wore the specially designed Kick It Out t-shirts during the warm-up, while two local schools with good links to the Football in the Community Trust - Hamer Community School and St John's Primary School displayed a banner which promoted Kick It Out.
Founded in 1993, Kick It Out has transformed the landscape of football by educating, raising awareness and campaigning to make the game a more welcoming and comfortable environment. One that is free of all forms of discrimination, prejudiced attitudes and abusive behaviour. The campaign has been pivotal in persuading and supporting the game’s stakeholders to take their equality responsibilities seriously.
Kick It Out’s core aims are the following:
- Promote awareness of the benefits of equality, inclusion, diversity policies and practices in football. Expose and challenge all aspects of discrimination and unfair practices and conduct at all levels of football.
- Share information about good practices being pursued to achieve equality and fair outcomes.
- Support individuals, groups, club, and authorities to effect actions themselves to achieve equality and fair outcomes.
- Develop a wider awareness and acceptance of Kick It Out’s activities and its enabling and facilitating roles as a contributory force for good in football.
If you want to play a more active role in Kick It Out’s ‘Season of Action’ you can get in touch with the organisation by calling 0207 253 0162, emailing info@kickitout.org and via Twitter on @kickitout