Striker and EDI Officer Danny Mills provided an update on our EDI strategy following our recent EDI survey in our Bank Holiday match programmes.

Good afternoon, Hamlet fans and welcome back to Champion Hill for another campaign where we are full of optimism for a positive season across all our teams. Following on from last season there has been a lot of changes throughout the club with new management teams for both the Men’s and Women’s side. I would like to welcome the new managers, staff and new players that have joined the club and wish them all the best for the upcoming season.

It has been a positive start for the men’s team this season with three wins from the first three games which we hope will continue into this weekend against Canvey Island. The Women’s team had a tough staff against a good Luton side last weekend and we know they will want to bounce back quickly.

Since being appointed as EDI officer over three years ago, I have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure our great club continues to be an inclusive environment where all feel welcome. In the off season I sat down with our community group so that we could plan for the upcoming season and have put together a plan for how we can continue to grow. Following on from the fan engagement survey that we put out last season there were some key highlights that we will be focusing on over the next few years particularly around accessibility and our continued efforts to diversify our fanbase. This year’s priority will be to develop a new strategy informed by the survey and the ambitions of the club. I am very much looking forward to working with our key stakeholders to put something together that reflects Dulwich Hamlet FC!

Since my last column we have been reminded that unfortunately this work is needed more than ever. In the Women’s Euros, England defender Jess Carter revealed she was scared to play in the Euros final because of fears of racial abuse. The England defender had suffered a torrid time after being targeted by racial abuse online, which forced her off social media throughout the tournament.

The Premier League opener between Liverpool and Bournemouth was stopped in the 28th minute after an allegation of a racist comment aimed at Antoine Semenyo; a 47-year-old man was ejected from Anfield. Semenyo was also subjected to racist abuse on Instagram on the same night. The 25-year-old shared some of the abuse on his story, with the caption: "when will it stop?".

Discrimination has no place in sport. Tackling it requires:

• Speaking up
• Standing together
• And creating a culture where everyone can take part, be themselves, and thrive

Promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in sport is not just about doing the right thing—it's about unlocking the full potential of individuals and teams, building stronger communities, and ensuring sport remains a positive and powerful force for everyone.

IN OUR HOUSE WE ARE ALL EQUAL!

UP THE HAMLET!

MILLSY