It has been confirmed that the Premier League has introduced mandatory sexual consent training for all players and staff.
Ahead of the 2022/23 football season starting this weekend, and following what has been a recent string of high-profile cases and enhanced police action in England involving top-flight footballers, the Premier League has made the decision to introduce mandatory sexual consent training for all players and staff in what has been described as a “long-overdue step in the right direction”.
The training sessions – which were first reported by the Telegraph – are part of a wider safeguarding education programme that was updated and developed after the Sheldon report, and are set to address healthy and respectful relationships, and include understanding harassment and consent.
The Sheldon report was an independent review into historical child sexual abuse in football.
It revealed “significant institutional failings” by the Football Association (FA), and said the organisation “did not do enough to keep children safe”.
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The mandatory sexual consent training sessions are also being introduced after a coalition of women’s groups sent an open letter to the FA and Premier League back in February that urged them “to confront a culture of gender-based violence”.
The Premier League has introduced mandatory sexual consent training for all players and staff / Credit: Alex Motoc (via Unsplash)
As well as mandatory training, the coalition – which made up of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, The Three Hijabis, and Level Up – also asked for Premier League clubs to “adopt clear sexual misconduct policies and protocols”.
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They also wanted clubs to sign a charter “to tackle unacceptable behaviour”.
The coalition met with the Premier League in March and June – however, according to BBC Sport, the groups have said the FA has not yet engaged with them.
Speaking on the confirmation by the Premier League that mandatory sexual consent training is to be given to Premier League players and staff, Andrea Simon – Director at End Violence Against Women Coalition – said: “Today’s announcement is a long overdue and important first step in the right direction.
“Gender-based violence is a pervasive and systemic issue that must be addressed across the football industry as a whole, with urgent and coordinated action.”
Featured Image – Premier League (via Flickr)
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Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
Emily Sergeant -
5th August 2022 
