Call to celebrate diversity in sport

The Campaign is backed by Co-President of The Gay Games and First Women Muslim and Arab England International Player

The countdown is on to this year’s National Sporting Heritage Day and people are being asked to get involved on the 30th September by celebrating the long history of UK sport and its power to engage and inspire everyone, particularly those from under-represented communities.

The ‘Diversity in Sport’ theme for this year’s annual event aims to celebrate not only the history of the wide variety of sporting activities and events, but also those from diverse communities who have played an important role in the heritage of our sport and continue to inspire change and engage others from diverse backgrounds.

Backing the campaign is the newly appointed Sporting Heritage ambassador, Joanie Evans, a former women’s footballer who is now the co-president of the Federation of Gay Games. Joanie said: “I am so delighted to join the Sporting Heritage ambassador family and support this year’s National Sporting Heritage Day. Growing up, I didn’t see many black women playing football, or people from the LGBT+ community being celebrated in sport and that is something I have spent my sporting life changing and ensuring the next generation has a heritage they can learn from and be inspired by.”

Fellow Sporting Heritage ambassador, Dana Abdulkarim, the first Muslim and Arab woman to compete for England internally with 67 caps in Rounders, and now a teacher at Silverdale School in Sheffield, adds: “National Sporting Heritage Day is a great opportunity to celebrate diversity in sport. We’re all role models for future generations, making sure sport unites us, no matter your race, gender, or disability.”

Dr Justine Reilly, founding director of Sporting Heritage said: “National Sporting Heritage Day celebrates our love of sport and its history. Whether it’s coming together with people from your sporting communities to reminisce, sharing collections of memorabilia, hosting a sporting exhibition, celebration event or school education project – this is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the diversity in sport and the importance of its heritage on all our lives.

We know that there are those often overlooked and forgotten when it comes to the heritage of sport such as women, the disabled, ethnic minority groups and the LGBT+ community and we want to use this day to really get the message out there that we have an amazingly rich, diverse heritage across all our four nations that deserves to be celebrated.”

Sporting Heritage have launched their Community Fund grant programme for applications today with up to £250 available for community, school and sporting organisations to help support any events or activity taking place on National Sporting Heritage Day. A free resource pack is also available from the website with further details and ideas on how to get involved or check the #NSHD2022 across the Sporting Heritage social media platforms.