Tom Goodridge, Project Coordinator (Brighton, GB), took the opportunity to promote the ACTive NGOs project in the emerging community hub in the heart of Whitehawk, Whitehawk Football Club. It was the first of many community appearances the ULG team made over this summer and this special event did not disappoint.
Hundreds of fans visited Whitehawk FC’s TerraPura Ground on August 4, 2019, for the first Football United game – one of the most hi-profile mixed gender football matches ever played.
The match at Brighton’s second biggest football club saw Rainbow Rovers, player/managed by transgender writer and broadcaster Sophie Cook win 4-2 against an ex-Premier League All Star team managed by Brighton & Hove Albion legend Guy Butters.
The Vetereans Team featured ex-players from Manchester United, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
The match was supported by Fans For Diversity and Football v Homophobia, and the LGBTQ+ team (Rainbow Rovers) featured players from Stonewall FC, Soho FC and Charlton Invicta.
Turner prize nominee and curator of the 2018 Brighton Festival David Shrigley designed the Rainbow Rovers kit.
Hawks Head of Commercial & Brighton ULG member Kevin Miller said; “It was a fantastic day, a day to celebrate inclusion on a weekend where the City lit a beacon for diversity across the world, and I’d like to thank Sophie, Guy, and all the players from both teams, as well as all the backroom team here at Whitehawk that made it happen.”
He added. “This match was all about celebrating diversity, but also to demonstrate that Whitehawk Football Club celebrates diversity, and so to the many people that came to the ground for the first time, we hope that you enjoyed your day with us, and we look forward to welcoming you to Whitehawk FC during the 2019/20 season!”
The match at Brighton’s second biggest football club saw Rainbow Rovers, player/managed by transgender writer and broadcaster Sophie Cook win 4-2 against an ex-Premier League All Star team managed by Brighton & Hove Albion legend Guy Butters.
The Vetereans Team featured ex-players from Manchester United, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
The match was supported by Fans For Diversity and Football v Homophobia, and the LGBTQ+ team (Rainbow Rovers) featured players from Stonewall FC, Soho FC and Charlton Invicta.
Turner prize nominee and curator of the 2018 Brighton Festival David Shrigley designed the Rainbow Rovers kit.
Hawks Head of Commercial & Brighton ULG member Kevin Miller said; “It was a fantastic day, a day to celebrate inclusion on a weekend where the City lit a beacon for diversity across the world, and I’d like to thank Sophie, Guy, and all the players from both teams, as well as all the backroom team here at Whitehawk that made it happen.”
He added. “This match was all about celebrating diversity, but also to demonstrate that Whitehawk Football Club celebrates diversity, and so to the many people that came to the ground for the first time, we hope that you enjoyed your day with us, and we look forward to welcoming you to Whitehawk FC during the 2019/20 season!”
Whitehawk FC Ultra fan and community activist Johnbosco Nwogbo said “This [Whitehawk Football] club is one of the most important community venues in the whole city, let alone Whitehawk.”
“The significance of this match cannot be underestimated and for this to take place right in the heart of BN2 Five [Whitehawk] is huge. Kevin has been one of our leading ULG members and I hope his visit to Santa Pola has played a part in delivering the success of the event today – we know other ULG members are energised by connections with our partner cities and the ideas being brought back from those visits” Tom Goodridge, ACTive NGOs Brighton Project.
ACTive NGOs Project has illustrated that activities and events can take place in unusual community settings and this is a real example of this in practice.
Co-written by Tom Goodridge & Kevin Miller
