Footballers back end to violence

IPSWICH footballers today backed the launch of this year's white ribbon campaign calling for an end to domestic violence.

First team and academy players at Ipswich Town Football Club donned special purple t-shirts emblazoned with the white ribbon as a mark of their support for the annual campaign.

Sarah Beckwith, project co-ordinator for Women's Aid, said the Football Association had shown its support for this year's campaign, being run from November 25 to December 12.

She said a Home Office report, released after this year's World Cup, showed violence against women had increased following England's quarter-final defeat to Portugal.

She said: “The FA have decided they have got to address the relationship between football, alcohol and violence.

“The players are positive male role models and we hope they can help get the message across.”

The white ribbon campaign began in Canada in 1991 and was set up by men wanting to end violence against women.

Jim Magilton, Ipswich Town manager, said: “It is a worthwhile cause and the club wants to support it.

“We are quite happy to be involved.”

Meanwhile Suffolk police were also asking people to support the campaign by wearing a white ribbon.

County Domestic Violence Co-ordinator Marianne Fellowes said: “By wearing a white ribbon, people can not only show their support for victims but also demonstrate that they will not tolerate any form of domestic violence.”

Among the events being organised during the campaign are visits by the mobile police station to villages across the eastern area of the county.

n. Are you a victim of domestic violence who wants to tell their story? What do you think of the campaign? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk