White Ribbon campaign commends people committed to ending violence against women
Two West Yorkshire MPs joined Bradford College for a night to celebrate efforts to end violence against women, honouring the characters working hard behind the scenes to eliminate one of society’s most serious concerns.
Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West and her Labour colleague for Dewsbury and Mirfield, Paula Sherriff, both spoke at the inaugural Bradford College White Ribbon Awards Evening.
The awards, held in the College’s Advanced Technology Centre, recognised the work of individuals and organisations in the region to tackle male violence towards women and girls.
The White Ribbon Campaign asks men to take a stand against gender violence.
Bradford College has been accredited by the organisation since 2014 and social work lecturer Brian Mitchell is an ambassador for the movement.
Founder of the campaign, Chris Green, was also in attendance at the awards night, which was hosted by Mr Mitchell along with another of the campaign’s ambassadors, Ikram Butt, the former rugby league international recently made an Honorary Fellow of the college.
MP Naz Shah told the audience that it was a cause close to her heart.
“Because of my own personal experience as a child of a parent who went to prison because she murdered an abusive partner, I am very passionate about the campaign,” she said.
“The thing I like about the White Ribbon Campaign is that it puts the responsibility at men’s feet.
“I applaud every man sat here. For you to be our advocates is a massive thing.”
Awards on the night were presented to a plethora of causes including Bradford domestic violence charity, Staying Put; the Keighley Domestic Violence Agency; Imam Qari Muhammad Asim MBE; Bradford College Students’ Union; Unipol; and Lenka Kaur – the Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator at Bradford College.
The campaign also handed our Certificates of Recognition to Kirklees Council, Hull City Council, School of Rock and Media, Oasis Academy Lister Park and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
Halima Khan, of Cricket Beyond the Boundary Line, and Major Lisa Marr, of the British Army, were also recognised for their groundbreaking cricket match between a Women’s Combined Services XI and an Inspirational Women XI at Yorkshire County Cricket Club during the summer.
