By Sport Reporter
MORE than 500 students from local schools will take part in Charlton Athletic’s Red, White and Black Day parade, celebrating diversity and inclusion ahead of the Addicks’ home game against Wrexham at The Valley on Saturday this Saturday.
Red, White and Black Day is an anti-racism initiative that has been part of the Charlton fabric for more than 30 years and is passionately supported by the club’s fanbase.
This year’s parade, in partnership with Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and University of Greenwich, will see a record number of students take part and will promote the club’s All Different, All Together, All Charlton messaging, signifying that everyone is welcome at The Valley.
The parade will begin at Charlton Station, ending at The Valley. It will be lead by the club’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) lead on the Charlton Board Paul Elliott CBE MBE and will also include club legends Carl Leaburn and Paul Mortimer.
Elliott said: “Charlton have been the pioneers of this kind of celebration of inclusivity. We were the very first club to hold such a day and we work with the local community, faith groups and the event itself has gone from just an acorn to the huge tree that it is now.
“From a small number of participants to a huge community day, it is particularly visually diverse and all our stakeholders come together for what is a fantastic day.
“We have a really unique fanbase: different cultures and races and we welcome everyone. We give everyone, from whatever demographic, a home-from-home welcome at this club. Charlton is a safe space.”
Dr Michael Seeraj, Group Head of EDI for Charlton and CACT, added: “The community parade is a wonderful, vibrant pre-match event that celebrates the rich diversity of our local community.
“The message is clear. We value and welcome everyone, regardless of their background or identity. This reflects the club and Trust’s commitment to EDI – it is a real example of unity and togetherness.”
Jas Seehra-Pearce, EDI Advisor and Business Partner at the University of Greenwich, said: “Our diversity is our strength, and our identities weave us together in our shared ambitions to create a safe and inclusive community for all our staff and students where we embrace our differences and the experiences that we all bring. We will continue to empower individuals from all backgrounds to support each other, use their voices to tackle issues and champion BAME students, staff and initiatives to build a culture we are truly proud of.”
Saturday’s match-day, which is part of the EFL’s Together Against Racism campaign, will be the highest attended game at The Valley in a number of years, with the attendance already surpassing 20,000. Click here to purchase your tickets now.
The Red, White and Black Day celebrations continue on Sunday, November 3 when the women’s first-team take on Southampton at The Valley. Click here to purchase your tickets.
