Kingstonian FC

Firstly, a warm welcome to our supporters and those who have made the journey from Hornchurch today. I hope you've been made to feel welcome here at King George’s Field and enjoy your brief stay with us this afternoon.

For those of you who don't know me, I'll start by introducing myself. My name is Adam Thompson and I was appointed the clubs Equality and Diversity officer in the summer. I am a former player of Kingstonian FC, enjoying two spells with the club, winning the Ryman Division One South in 2009. Being a former player I was delighted when offered the opportunity for the role and was one I couldn't turn down as I'm passionate about equality for all.

So what is Equality & Diversity?

Equality is about ensuring everybody has an equal opportunity, and is not treated any differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics. 

Diversity is about taking account of the differences between people and groups of people, and placing a positive value on those differences.

My aim here at Kingstonian FC is to maintain our zero tolerance, on and off the field, in regards to discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. These are known as the "protected characteristics" under the Equality Act 2010.

Here at Kingstonian FC we will ensure that it treats employees, officials, spectators, fans and visiting teams fairly and with respect.

As a club, K's strive for excellence on and off the field. Of great importance to us is our relationship with supporters and the local community. We take great pride in our bond which exists between the club and the people of Kingston. Kingston is a diverse, multicultural town and as a club we are committed to serving and representing the local community. We are all one family, under the umbrella of football.

I personally love the diversity of football, and one of the strengths in football is we have diversity on the field, and I'd like to see that even more off the field as well. From board level down to the fans and supporters and that is where I want to see change here at King George’s Field. A fanbase which represents the diversity of Kingston. I won't be able to do this by myself or overnight, but we can all look in the mirror and ask ourselves, What more can we do? Are we being inclusive? Everyone here at Ks has a role to play. Not just at football but in society also. So maybe the next time you're at work with colleagues from a different culture, race, gender, sex, etc., invite them to a game. You never know they might just say yes.

There's a lot of work to be done, but I'm enthusiastic about the future and what can be achieved here at Kingstonian. As I've seen first-hand now, there are a lot of hardworking people behind the scenes who want to see Kingstonian back where they belong and where, more importantly, YOU the supporters deserve to be.

I would like to thank the club for giving me this opportunity and to give a big thanks to John McCormack, who has been a great help the last few months, Hayden for his 100% support and backing and to REX who made this all possible.

Thank you,

Adam Thompson aka Thommo