MK Schools Score for Showing Racism the Red Card

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Jun 2006

Seven Milton Keynes Schools produced winning entries in the national "Show Racism the Red Card" competition. Although in its seventh year, the competition has historically attracted few entries from Milton Keynes. This year MK's Football First Project organised a local competition based on the national format and 41 local schools took part, involving over 13,000 young people.

The competition required young people to watch a DVD on anti-racism, then produce a piece of work of their own choice such as a painting, drawing, song, rap, short story, poem, or even a DVD expressing their ideas on how to eliminate racism.

MK's participating schools were invited to parade, Olympic style, at an MK Dons home game against Gillingham, and also had photo and autograph opportunities with Dons' players and Chairman Pete Winkelman.

Winning entries from all MK's participating schools were then entered into the national competition, where they won seven out of 17 national awards.

The MK Red Card winners were Charlotte Beale, Timi Oyediran, Brooke Hudson, Tom Chamberlain, Mollie Hardy, Jack Downs, Joel Evans, Freddie Tully, Alexander Hughes, and Zoe Crowhurst.

The winners represented seven schools: Greenleys Middle School, St. Monica's RC School, Fenny House, Denbigh School, Wavendon Gate School, Simpson School and Oakgrove School.

The national winners enjoyed a day out at Charlton Athletic Football Club, where they were presented with their awards by a host of celebrities including football's Chris Powell, Bob Boulder, Brendan Batson, Dave Bassett, Warren Barton, Bobby Barnes, Gavin Peacock, Paul Elliot, Sue Law, Byker Grove's Patrick Millar, and "Bad Girl" Tracey Wilkinson.

Dennis Woolford from Football First, which organised the event said: "This was a real joint event between partners including Milton Keynes Council, MK Dons, MK Dons Supporters' Association, Milton Keynes Youth Service and Milton Keynes Racial Equality Council, whose support and enthusiasm made it such a success."

Sandra Clark, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for children, added: "It's terrific that so many local schools have got involved this year. Milton Keynes is a very mixed community and a competition such as this helps to raise awareness about the problems some children may encounter."