ACADEMY PLAYER THEO CELEBRATES DIVERSITY WITH SPECIAL POEM

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Club marks No Room For Racism campaign

2024-04-12T17:30:00.000Z

ACADEMY PLAYER THEO CELEBRATES DIVERSITY WITH SPECIAL POEM

Club marks No Room For Racism campaign

2024-04-12T17:30:00.000Z

Club marks No Room For Racism campaign

This weekend is dedicated to the Premier League’s No Room For Racism campaign, with U10s player Theo Sewell winning an Academy wide poetry competition.

An important campaign in the league’s fixture calendar, all 20 top-flight clubs are coming together to reinforce important messaging around our collective commitment to improving diversity and fighting discrimination.

As part of a league wide competition, players in Burnley’s U9s-U12s age groups were tasked with writing a poem about what diversity means to them.

The poem could be written or spoken, with the youngsters encouraged to be as creative as possible.

After many fantastic entries were submitted by the different age groups, Theo’s poem was judged as the winner and entered into a nationwide competition.

In it he referenced players taking the knee before matches, wearing No Room For Racism branding on his shirt and football being ‘one big family.’

The Club is proud of its One Club For All ethos and to highlight this, manager Vincent Kompany, players from various age groups and staff from on and off the field read different lines from Theo’s poem in a special video.

The video will be shared across the Club’s social media platforms and on the digital screens at Turf Moor when the Clarets play Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday 13th April.

To congratulate Theo on his winning poem, his favourite Burnley player Josh Brownhill surprised him with a signed shirt and certificate.

On the competition Burnley FC’s Academy Player Care Intern Frazer Young said: “We were delighted with the quality of entries we received, and it was clear that the lads had taken the time to carefully consider what diversity means to them.

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“It was a good opportunity for them to learn about such an important issue, not just in football but in life. As well as offering the chance for them to develop their creative writing and presentation skills.”

Theo added: “I love writing stories and poems and knew other children would be able to relate to my poem. I wanted to help and spread awareness in the hope that other kids will have the courage to speak up should they ever experience or witness any discrimination of any kind.

“I felt really lucky meeting Josh Brownhill, he’s the captain of Burnley and a role model to me! Spending time with him and the players was a once in a lifetime experience! I’ve got his shirt framed on my wall where it will stay!”

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There will be No Room For Racism branding around Turf Moor on Saturday and six players, including Theo, from the Club’s Foundation Phase (U9-U11) will be pitchside holding the branded No Room For Racism banner before the game.

Ahead of kick-off, the players and officials will take the knee to send a clear message that discrimination will not be tolerated in football or wider society.