DAGENHAM, Essex, 7 November, 2008 – More that 110 youngsters joined soccer stars and celebrities for the third of Ford's successful anti-racism "Kick It Out" events.
Around 10 schools from Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Newham, and London boroughs brought 11 to 14-year-old pupils to the football-related learning and games event at Dagenham's Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME). The director of Bend It like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha, film actor Winston Ellis, ex-England and Watford legend Luther Blissett as well as England physio Gary Lewin attended.
Professional Footballers Association executives, Paul Allen and Bobby Barnes, players from nearby Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club and automotive journalist Kevin Haggarthy participated in a questions and answers session.
Bob Blenkinsop, Ford of Britain human resources director, said: "Football is diverse and inclusive and is a great platform for our involvement. Kick It Out's 'One game, One community' theme uses football as a way of promoting social inclusion and encouraging young people to value diversity.
"Given our links with football – as the only original UEFA Champions League sponsors and Thames Gateway Youth Football Project partners – this is a great opportunity for Ford to support neighbouring schools during Kick It Out's week of action."
Piara Powar, Kick It Out director, said: "We are delighted to be working with Ford, and partners in the Dagenham area on an initiative that will have a lasting impact, and Ford is to be congratulated for an enlightened approach to issues that impact on its local communities."
At the same event Brittons School & Technology College in South Hornchurch won the chance for 11 students to be centre circle bearers of the UEFA banner at the Arsenal-Dynamo Kyiv game on November 25
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Editor's notes: (1) More about Kick It Out at www.kickitout.org
