Arsenal will put on particular all-white shirts this weekend because the Premier League membership takes a stand towards youth violence in London.
The stabbing of a 16-year-old boy on the finish of final yr was the thirtieth teenage homicide in 2021 and got here simply as Arsenal was getting ready to roll out its “No Extra Purple” marketing campaign.
The north London membership’s gamers will put on all-white Adidas jerseys – drained of the membership’s conventional pink colours – for Sunday’s FA Cup match towards Nottingham Forest.
“The white shirt is an emblem that may stand towards knife crime,” mentioned Jack Ironside, who has labored on Arsenal’s schemes in London communities for 15 years. “It’s devastating for people, it’s devastating for households and devastating for the communities that they reside in.
“That trauma is lived by their mates and their households that reside on. However what we’ve bought a possibility to do right here is elevate consciousness and take a look at options – not solutions. We don’t have the reply however constructive contributions.”
The one-off kits won’t be offered wherever. Solely these worn by the beginning 10 outfield gamers in Sunday’s match will likely be launched as presents to neighborhood organisations working to sort out the causes of youth violence which principally includes knife crimes.
As a senior supervisor for social inclusion, Ironside’s work with Arsenal includes collaborating with youth offending companies and prisons, making an attempt to assist younger folks discover various pathways via a profession slightly than resorting to violence.
“Our priorities are social outcomes slightly than sports activities outcomes,” Ironside mentioned. “What we’re making an attempt to do with this marketing campaign is basically attempt to elevate consciousness and create consciousness round this necessary challenge after which make some tangible variations.”
Arsenal will put on particular white shirts in a stand towards teen violence
(Arsenal)
These embrace providing hope to kids, notably in additional disadvantaged components of the capital, and renovating footballing amenities they’ll use.
“These are way more than soccer pitches,” Ironside mentioned. “They’re really secure areas for younger folks to spend their time and join with others and spend time with constructive function fashions.
“What we are attempting to do there may be really work with younger folks off the pitch slightly than on it. In order that the pitch itself and that soccer exercise is the software to interact. However it’s really how we assist them away from that soccer pitch that actually issues.”
A marketing campaign video options the actor Idris Elba, who grew up in east London and has his personal “Do not Stab Your Future” initiative.
“From the time younger folks depart college, till the time they’re at dwelling with household, there may be typically a void, a harmful spike of nothing to do, the place nothing can simply flip to one thing harmful,” Elba mentioned in an announcement.
“If there continues to be no choices for this after-school interval, we are going to at all times see gangs kind. Let’s create choices for these younger folks.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
