Awards, Aims and Aircraft

By Martin Ryder

L.I.S.A are extremely humbled and proud to have been nominated for the FSF Fans for Diversity Award for 2018. This is the second year running that we have received a nomination and once again we look forward to attending the awards ceremony with five other fantastic groups from across the country. Our fellow nominees are AccessiBlues (Birmingham City), Apna Albion (West Brom), Proud Baggies (West Brom), Proud Lillywhites (Spurs) and Proud Valiants (Charlton).

As can be seen L.I.S.A are the only representatives in the category from League 2 as we join supporter groups representing clubs from London and the West Midlands. L.I.S.A has enjoyed a busy 2018 with diversity work, fan engagement, charity fundraising, academic liaison and in developing relationships with other supporter groups. We continue to work not only in encouraging diversity in support but also look to take the next step in brining fans from different backgrounds together. The FSF awards ceremony will be held at the Tower of London on Monday 3rd December.

We are presently half way through our fantastic FSF funded exchange project with the Bradford City Supporters Group the Bangla Bantams. Following a brilliant day in Bradford last month we are privileged to be hosting the Bangla Bantams here in Lincolnshire on Wednesday 14th November. We will be enjoying a lunch and stadium tour together at Sincil Bank as well as visiting Lincolnshire icons the Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The project is designed to bring supporters together from different backgrounds to promote diversity in support and community cohesion.

Particular thanks go to Dean Wagstaff of the RAF, Lincoln City Football Club, Humayun Islam of the Bangla Bantams and Anwar Uddin of the FSF for supporting the project and enabling it to happen. A short film is being produced of the project to highlight the great work of the FSF Fans for Diversity campaign in conjunction with Kick it Out. We will continue to work hard and celebrate the fact that the beautiful game really does have the power and ability to bring communities and people together.