How Premier League clubs are supporting Rainbow Laces campaign

From rainbow-themed armbands to special school visits discussing LGBTQ+ allyship, Premier League clubs have been supporting Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign and helping celebrate its 10th anniversary, demonstrating that football is everyone's game.

All Premier League matches between 2-7 December are dedicated to supporting Rainbow Laces.

Players from Crystal Palace visited a local school to talk about how everyone can be an ally.

Players from AFC Bournemouth's men's and women's teams - Lloyd Kelly, Katie Scadding and Abby Jones - joined youngsters at the Vitality Stadium for a special workshop.

"I think the kids enjoyed it," said Kelly. "They asked good questions. I think they took onboard and listened to advice and our experiences as well. It was a good afternoon."

Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation, the club's charitable arm, had a unique way of engaging with young Seagulls fans, running a competition in which they were asked to create the most "colourful, inclusive and supportive" shirt design for the Rainbow Laces campaign.

Chelsea adopted a slightly different approach to celebrate the campaign's 10th anniversary, and commissioned the UK's LGBT Poet Laureate Trudy Howson to write "Poetry in Motion on the Pitch" - telling the story of the club's support for its community.

This week Nottingham Forest launched the club's official LGBTQ+ supporters' club, Proud Forest.

Martin Hyland, Proud Forest's founder, was given space in the matchday programme to talk about the group and how important it is for the Premier League, its clubs and players to support Rainbow Laces.

Support for the campaign has been visible at all of the Premier League matches played this week, since Saturday.

Captains have been wearing rainbow-themed armbands, while ball plinths, handshake boards and LED perimeter boards have also been highlighting important messages.

As well as the activity and support being shown on the pitch, the Premier League has launched educational resources as part of Premier League Primary Stars.

Rainbow Laces: Inclusion has no off-season introduces Rainbow Laces and what it means, helping teachers facilitate classroom discussions about diversity and inclusion.