Rekindle and Roots unite for Anti-Racism Workshops at Sheffield Wednesday
Earlier this month, we joined The Roots Programme to co-facilitate a carousel of anti-racist workshops with groups of Year 5 and 6 pupils from local schools.
Part of Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Community Day, the sessions were a powerful example of how sporting communities can open up conversations that matter.
Held at Hillsborough Stadium our teams jointly created an engaging, safe space for young people to engage in conversations about race, ethnicity, the importance of being a good ally and treating others with fairness and respect. This collaboration grew out of an exciting new Roots initiative launching soon, which uses football and sport more broadly as a way to get people talking and connecting across lines of difference. Working with Sheffield Wednesday offered a glimpse of what’s ahead – the potential of partnering with sports teams and their foundations to share our messages about connection, curiosity, compassion and critical thinking across UK communities.
It was an honour to join Sheffield Wednesday on their EDI Day and show how powerful it can be to have open, honest conversations with young people about difference and allyship. The pupils quickly grasped new ideas and took the role of being a good ally seriously – it was inspiring to see.
-Cara Kennedy, Community and Partnerships Lead, The Roots Programme
As Roots and Rekindle prepare to merge, moments like this show what happens when education and community work meet – creating space for honest dialogue and shared understanding.
This collaboration also connects with Rekindle Foundation’s anti-racist teacher training, reinforcing a united stance on equity and inclusion.
