Kick It Out will partner Non-League Day for the seventh year running on Saturday 13 October, as the organisation gears up for its biggest ever involvement in the initiative.

As Kick It Out marks 25 years of campaigning for equality in football, seven teams will be dedicating fixtures to football’s equality and inclusion organisation – a record number.

One of those clubs is Staffordshire FA-affiliated Sporting Khalsa, who will be using their FA Vase tie against Winsford United at the Aspray Arena to promote the work of Kick It Out over the past quarter of a century. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.

Alongside Sporting Khalsa, Worksop Town, Southport, Tamworth, Edgware Town, Kensington Borough and Burgess Hill Town have all selected their home fixtures on Non-League Day to recognise Kick It Out’s work.

The expansion comes following Kick It Out’s appointment of a new grassroots team earlier this year, including Grassroots Manager Tajean Hutton and Grassroots Northern Officer, Arran Williams.

The seven non-league teams are all planning extra activity around the day to encourage engagement with a diverse range of communities, including local residents, young people and more. Further details are to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tajean is delighted that Kick It Out’s support for Non-League Day is set to grow.

He said: “As someone who’s always been involved in grassroots and non-league football, I know how important it is for Kick It Out to have a presence there and spread our message of equality.

“Non-League Day is a brilliant initiative all about getting down to support your local team, and we hope our involvement will help bring local communities closer together with their club, regardless of background.”

GET INVOLVED

In addition to the announced dedicated fixtures, this year Kick It Out are opening up their Non-League Day activity to include any club that wishes to support the organisation on 13 October.

Non-league clubs are encouraged to get behind Kick It Out on Non-League Day, but to do so must sign up to the organisation’s new Equality Charter, and publicise the document on the club website and social media channels.

In return, the club will be sent Kick It Out’s digital assets – 25-year anniversary logo, social media graphics, programme adverts – for the 2018/19 season and will receive a discounted rate for merchandise from the organisation’s online shop, including:

• £32 for a 7.5 ft x 5.5 ft flag, printed with the Kick It Out logo and your club logo
• £5 for a pack of 5 Kick It Out bibs
• 20% off the following Kick It Out branded items: T-shirts, stickers, button badges and wristbands

Grassroots Northern Officer, Arran, is eager to see as many clubs involved as possible.

“For us, there’s no limit to how far we want our message to reach. We want every club across the country, however small or big, to be an inclusive environment for everyone in their local area – so get in touch, support us on Non-League Day and let’s promote equality together.”

If you are interested in supporting Kick It Out on Non-League Day 2018, please contact Tajean Hutton, Grassroots Manager, via email on tajean@kickitout.org, or Arran Williams, Grassroots Northern Officer, via email on arran@kickitout.org