Leading sports clubs support area’s anti-racism movement

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership and the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit are launching an anti-racism movement at the end of August and have received more than 350 organisation pledges already, including from leading sports clubs.

Co-created by over 100 West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership ethnic minority colleagues to proactively challenge racism across all aspects of society, the movement is part of an ongoing commitment to tackling structural and institutionalised racism, as well as addressing health and social inequalities across the area. 

The movement, a recommendation from the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership review in October 2020 into the impact of COVID-19 on health inequalities, is being developed with organisations, including the NHS, councils, Healthwatch, hospices and the voluntary community social enterprise sector.

Supported by sports clubs across the area, including Leeds United Foundation, Keighley Cougars, Community Foundation at Wakefield Trinity, Bradford Bulls Foundation, Dewsbury Celtic, Halifax Panthers (rugby), and Yorkshire Sport Foundation.

The movement spotlights the experiences of racism. Imagery from the campaign will be displayed outdoors and on bus rears, as well as across social media with the hashtag #WYHRootOutRacism. The campaign will include a suite of educational resources to encourage people to better inform themselves on anti-racist behaviours and practices, whilst linking to training and people’s life stories.

Built from insight from experiences of racism, people were asked a series of questions. 24 themes were identified and grouped into three areas: systems of oppression; behaviours and appearance/perception.

Comments include:

“Nobody seems to want to do anything to respond to that [racism]. It sometimes feels like: Why am I having to deal with this? Why don't other people pick it up and do something about it? There’s no response. It feels like a battle sometimes.”

“[It’s] not a level playing field, you don't have equal opportunities; promotions and secondment are not equitable. When you layer on intersectionality, it becomes very clear that to treat people equally, you have to treat people differently."

“It’s like a burden you carry where you feel like you have to represent not just yourself but the whole community and what impacts my behaviours, my contribution in any setting is people’s perceptions not just of me, but of the community I belong to, which makes you always nervous”.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader for Kirklees Council and Movement Ambassador said:

“I’m delighted that over 350 organisations and community champions have pledged their support ready for the launch in August, including sports clubs. There is no room for racism across our area and I’m urging everyone to get involved so together we can root out racism.”

Paul Mitchell, Bradford Bulls Foundation said:

“Sports clubs and foundations have the perfect platform to make a positive difference for everyone in our region who has ever suffered from health inequalities.  As a Rugby League Foundation, we strive to make all our activities reflect this.  However, there is so much more to be done to ensure real, permanent change which cuts across all aspects of society and its institutions.  This can only be achieved through a concerted effort, so we welcome and fully back this important initiative.”

Jake Webster, a New Zealand international rugby league player who plays as a centre for the Keighley Cougars said:

"Here at Keighley Cougars we celebrate individual stories for example, age, gender, race and sexuality. We encourage our workers/players to ask questions and speak to others to understand different cultures. Coming from a different country I have seen racism from a different perspective and understand the problems it can cause.  We hope to create opportunity and pathways for everyone."

John Mallalieu, CEO at the Leeds United Foundation said:

"The Leeds United Foundation are thrilled to be a part of this important campaign striving to make a positive difference for those in our community. We deliver various educational activities around the importance of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the fact that racism continues to affect so many people in a negative way, on a daily basis, means that we must continue to raise awareness, fight for equality and support initiatives such as this. To see so many organisations involved is incredibly important, by working together we have the best opportunity to really make a difference."  

Craig Shepherd, Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation said:

“As a charity situated within the sporting world we unfortunately encounter racist behaviour, regularly, and do our best through messaging, whether through the assemblies we deliver in schools or the projects we deliver in communities, to raise awareness and educate. We are delighted to back the campaign and would encourage our network and supporters to do so as well so that we can tackle the issue of racism in society.”

Lisa McCabe, Co-chair of Harrogate District Foundation Trust BAME & Ally Staff Network and part of the co-production team said:

“Please get involved in this important, meaningful, and powerful movement developed with my colleagues by registering your support at https://bit.ly/2TuH5Tp to access free resources so you too are ready for the launch in August. By working together as one we can root out racism”.  

Notes

• For media enquiries please contact Karen Coleman, West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership on: 07811766006 or email Westyorkshire.stp@nhs.net
• West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership is a large integrated care system that supports 2.7 million people, including 325,000 unpaid carers. 570,000 are children and young people. 500,000 people live in areas ranked in the most deprived 10% of England. 20% of people are from ethnic minority communities. The Partnership is made up of the NHS, councils, hospices, Healthwatch, the voluntary community social enterprise sector and communities with over 100,000 staff.
• Tackling health inequalities for ethnic minority communities and colleagues - review report and recommendations
• Insight report