With the holiday season about to start I focus this week on two recreational issues.
Thousands of children and young people together with their families will mark Playday, the annual celebration of children's right to play, on 4 August.
This year the theme is how to tackle to tackle the restrictions on children wanting to play outside their homes and urges everyone - young and old - to help create better places for children to live and play.
Play is an essential part of every child's life and development but is in serious decline. Play England's research finds that just over two-thirds of adults used to play near their home when they were children, compared to only one fifth of children today. This undermines children's health, wellbeing, capacity to learn and happiness.
Perhaps your own local group would like to mark this important day. Go to www.playday.org.uk for more information.
My second recreational issue concerns football which is loved by children and adults alike.
It used to be that violence and racist abuse used to put families off from going to matches. That has been changing for the better for some time.
But it's not been by accident. Show Racism the Red Card, which was started by two Newcastle fans here in the North East, has done invaluable work to make football grounds more welcoming to everyone.
I have therefore tabled a cross-party Commons motion which praises the excellent work of this anti-racist charity which was established in 1996 with the aim of harnessing the high-profile status of professional footballers as anti-racist role models to combat racism through education. Since then hundreds of top footballers and managers have taken part in its activities which have made racism the exception rather than the rule at football matches in contrast with experience abroad.
The campaign employs 12 former professional footballers throughout England, Scotland and Wales to coach young people using football as a way of engaging young people with anti-racist messages.
I think it's high time that the campaign got proper recognition for this marvellous work and my motion suggests that it should be selected as the Football Association Charity of the year for 2011.
This idea is backed by Gordon Taylor and the Professional Footballers' Association, as well as former England Manager Graham Taylor.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
Dave's Commons motion reads:
EDM 607
SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD CHARITY
22.07.2010
Anderson, David
That this House recognises the excellent work of the anti-racist charityShow Racism the Red Card which was established in 1996 with the aim of harnessing the high-profile status of professional footballers as anti-racist role models to combat racism through education; notes that hundreds of top footballers and managers take part in its activities which have made racism the exception rather than the rule at football matches in contrast with experience abroad; further notes that the campaign employs 12 former professional footballers throughout England, Scotland and Wales to coach young people using football as a way of engaging young people with anti-racist messages; welcomes the possibility that the campaign could be selected as the Football Association Charity of the year for 2011 and has so far won the support for this of Gordon Taylor and the Professional Footballers' Association, as well as former England Manager Graham Taylor; and wishes them the best in their endeavours.
| Promoted by Paul Foy on behalf of Dave Anderson, both of St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Shibdon Road, Blaydon, NE21 5PT |