White Ribbon Football Tournament raises awareness of violence against women and girls
The White Ribbon campaign to end violence against girls and women was once again supported by a football tournament at Gosling Sports Park, Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 27 November.
The event, which was organised by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) in partnership with Stevenage Football Club Foundation with 75% of pitch fees being covered by GLL who manage the Sports Park, saw around 60 participants forming 12 teams from various sectors and communities including WHBC, Hertfordshire Constabulary, the Get Golfing charity, Stevenage Borough Council, and local football clubs. The Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Councillor Lynn Chesterman OBE, Cabinet members and officers were among the attendees who cheered on the players and showed their solidarity with the cause.
The teams competed in friendly but hard-fought matches, with the final winners being Goal Diggers for the men’s category and Untouchables for the ladies’ category. The tournament was also a celebration of the diversity and unity of the local community, with everyone wearing white ribbons and pledging to never use, excuse, or remain silent about men’s violence against women.
The council works to raise awareness and educate staff and residents on how to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against women, through events like the football tournament and internal training. The council also lights the Welwyn Garden City clock tower orange – the colour of the campaign – for the 16-day duration, as a symbol of its ongoing support.
Councillor Jane Quinton, Deputy Leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and Executive Member, Leisure and Community, said:
“We have had such great support for this event from our partners Stevenage Football Club Foundation again as well as from our officers and the public. A big thanks to all of them for coming out on a chilly night, getting stuck in and playing their hearts out for a cause that we are striving to keep at the forefront of the work we do with our communities.”
Leon O’Brien, Stevenage Football Club Foundation’s Positive Pathway Officer, said:
“We have got a great rapport with the team at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, having collaborated with them to support the annual White Ribbon Tournament for the past four years, raising awareness and supporting an incredibly important cause. We urge anyone to sign the white ribbon promise and help end violence against women and girls. The link can be found here https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/promise. Finally, a huge thank you all the teams that took part with fantastic spirits throughout a successful evening”.
Jeremy Lake, GLL Partnership Manager, said:
"Gosling Sports Park is delighted to host this event for the local football community, helping to raise awareness of the issues around domestic violence affecting women and girls across the UK."
