Pupils were thrilled to be joined by AFC Bournemouth stars Callum Wilson and Tyrone Mings as they took part in a Kick It Out anti-racism workshop.
Former professional footballer Paul Mortimer, who used to play for Charlton, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and England Under-21s and is now the Professional Players Engagement Manager at Kick It Out, told St Aldhelm’s students about the racism he encountered as a player in the late 1980s and 1990s.
He challenged pupils to think about issues of equality, respecting differences and discrimination, asking them whether they would treat a female referee the same way as a male referee and how they would react to a new student wearing a full face veil.
He told students: “Kick It Out was launched in 1993 in response to racist abuse that black players got in the 1980s and 1990s. I played during that era and I experienced a lot more than Callum and Tyrone will experience.
“In the 1980s as a young player you would have things thrown at you – stones, bottles, bits of seat. The scariest thing was a ballbearing and a dart.”
The workshop ended with students being given the opportunity to quiz Callum and Tyrone on their experiences, all in front of the Sky TV cameras.
