Football fans who would like a free ticket to Southend United Football Club’s game against Halifax are being encouraged to attend free hate crime awareness sessions in a stand against discrimination.
Community safety partners in Southend-on-Sea are coming together to take a stand against hate crime in Southend and are encouraging people across the City to act or make a pledge, in the fight against discrimination. This includes raising awareness of hate crime, how to report it and where the local hate incident reporting centres are in Southend-on-Sea.
Two diversity and equality awareness sessions are being held on Tuesday 29 March and Thursday 31 March, from 7pm until 8pm at Southend United Football Club. Participants will be offered a free ticket to watch the match on Saturday 23 April, after taking part in an awareness session. The 60-minute sessions are open to anyone aged 40+ who is a resident of Southend-on-Sea and there are 20 places per session.
On Saturday 23 April Southend United Football Club will play against Halifax at Roots Hall stadium, where Southend United Community & Education Trust and community safety partners will come together at a hate crime awareness day and show their commitment that racism, anti-semitism, sexism, homophobia, hatred and violence of any kind will never be allowed to flourish in the City of Southend-on-Sea.
Community safety partners, such as Essex Police, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Victim Support and Southend Association of Voluntary Services, will be on hand to talk to spectators ahead of the match and raise awareness of the collective role everyone can play in challenging hate.
The hate crime awareness day will also be delivered alongside the national Football Welcomes month in April, which is organised by Amnesty International.
Football Welcomes celebrates the contribution players with a refugee background make to the game, and the positive role football can play in bringing people together and creating more welcoming communities.
Cllr Martin Terry, cabinet member for public protection, said: “Everyone has a role in stopping hate and creating safe, inclusive communities. Hate crimes and incidents can take many different forms, even if an incident doesn’t case physical harm or damage, it doesn’t mean that it is not a crime or that the police and local agencies won’t be interested in knowing about it.
“Southend Community Safety Partnership is committed to raising awareness of the very real impact of hate crime and to continue to prevent incidents occurring as well as ensuring those who commit this terrible crime are brought to justice.
“I would strongly urge residents to take advantage of the free awareness sessions being offered as well as the opportunity to meet with community safety partners at the hate crime awareness day and find out how you can pledge to help tackle hate crime.”
Chief Insp Ian Hughes, Southend District Commander for Essex Police, said: “Southend is a wonderfully diverse City and we should all be proud of that and embrace our differences.
“Hate crime is rising across the Country, so here in Southend we are working closely with partners to deliver an array of initiatives that raise awareness of the impact hate crime has on individuals and surrounding communities and how incidents can be reported, not just to the Police but at one of our 10 local hate incident reporting centres.
“Anyone can report hate crime, regardless of whether they are the victim, witness, or are reporting on behalf of someone else.”
Dale Spiby, Southend United Community & Education Trust CEO, said: “There is no place for discrimination in our society. We stand strongly with Southend Community Safety Partnership and want to help do all we can to encourage our local football supporters to learn the signs to spot around hate crime – our message is simple - if you see or hear something, then speak up and report it, we need everyone’s help to take a stand against discrimination and hate in all its forms.”
To sign up for one of the awareness sessions, please use the following links:
- Tuesday 29 March - Southend-on-Sea Equality & Diversity Awareness Session 1
- Thursday 31 March - Southend-on-Sea Equality & Diversity Awareness Session 2
There are several ways to report hate crime. You can contact Southend-on-Sea City Council on 01702 215000 and ask to speak with a Hate Crime Ambassador. Or find out more by visiting the Hate Crime section of the council’s website: Hate Crime – Southend-on-Sea City Council
