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04th October 2007

Council teams up with Saints for campaigns

Perth & Kinross Council’s Housing & Community Care Service is once again joining forces with players from St Johnstone FC in this year’s Show Racism the Red Card and See Me campaigns.

Following on from the success of last year’s joint initiative, a team from the mental health service user group (PLUS) will take on a St Johnstone team at McDiarmid Park Astroturf.

This event will be used as a launch for the Mental Wellbeing and Friendship Health Week which runs from 8 -14 October and Show Racism The Red Card Fortnight of Action which runs from 16-30 October..

The players will wear t-shirts bearing the See Me and Show Racism the Red Card messages and will be out to show that football is a game with no barriers to participation.

Councillor Peter Barret, Convener of Housing & Community Care, said, “I am delighted St Johnstone have agreed to help us promote these campaigns and support the Councils in showing that discrimination in any shape or form is unacceptable.”

Johannes Parkkonnen Senior Development Officer of the ‘See Me’, said, “see me is proud to work with St. Johnstone and local campiagns challenging prejudice. The stigma surrounding mental ill-health can prevent people from coming forward for help and sharing their problems. Stand by your friend if they have a mental health problem. Listen to them. How you can respond can make all the difference. ”'

‘Show Racism The Red Card’ National Coordinator, Billy Singh, said, “Once again St.Johnstone and Perth & Kinross Council have united to show in a very positive and engaging manner that there is no place for discrimination in football or wider society. We look forward to contnuing this excellent work by joining football clubs and community groups across Scotland to deliver anti-racist initiatives as part of our Fortnight of Action".

Source: Perth and Kinross Council