Boro joins White Ribbon team to call ‘full time’ on violence towards women

MIDDLESBROUGH Football Club and MFC Foundation have joined a national campaign to call ‘full time’ on violence towards women.

Founded in 2007, White Ribbon encourages men to take a pledge to ‘never commit, excuse or stay silent about male violence towards women’ and seeks to change how people view domestic abuse.

Boro stars Stewart Downing, Connor Roberts, Adam Forshaw and First Team Coach James Beattie joined Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Coast & Country Housing at the club’s Rockliffe training ground to show their support for the campaign.

Midfield stalwart Stewart Downing said: “It’s an important initiative we’re proud to support. It is an issue that has no place in any community, and hopefully raising awareness of the topic can help stamp it out.”

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s Councillor Lynn Pallister, Cabinet Member for Health, Housing & Welfare and chair of the council’s Domestic Abuse Partnership, commented: “We’re really grateful for the Boro’s support and I hope it encourages men to sign up to the White Ribbon pledge.

“Violence towards women is never acceptable and we need more men to stand up and make their voices heard.”

Steve Healey, Head of Operations Commercial & Assets at Coast & Country Housing said:  “This is a really important awareness initiative and one which, as an organisation that works closely with its customers and the wider community, we are proud to support.

“I hope the White Ribbon campaign and the participation of all its supporters to highlight the issue will send a clear message that domestic violence is completely unacceptable.”

Saturday 25 November is White Ribbon Day and marks the start of 16 days of action to help end violence towards women.

MFC Foundation’s Health Bus will be at the Riverside Stadium for Middlesbrough’s home game against Ipswich Town on Saturday 9 December (3pm kick off) where fans can find out more about the campaign and sign up to take the White Ribbon pledge.

For more information, or to sign up to the White Ribbon pledge, visit: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/

The local White Ribbon campaign is also being supported by Eva Women’s Aid, Cleveland Police and Middlesbrough Council.