Boing Boing!
We are the Proud Baggies, the Official West Bromwich Albion Supporters' Group for all LGBTQ+ fans, their families, friends and allies.
Membership is free and open to all. Join us to get involved or show your support!
WHO WE ARE
Officially launched in September 2017 at West Bromwich Albion's inaugural Diversity Day, our Proud Baggies members regularly meet for home and away matches, socials, club events, campaigning and fundraising.
We are one of many Supporters' Groups at West Bromwich Albion, and there are more than 60 LGBTQ+ Fan Groups in the UK.
WHAT WE DO
We want to bring the Football and LGBT+ community together to celebrate diversity and increase LGBTQ+ visibility at West Bromwich Albion FC, making our club a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all. This is achieved through support events, socials, matchday meetups and more.
Meet the Team
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Piero Zizzi
Founder and Chair
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Sarah Kerton
Vice Chair
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Tom Hogan
Head of Football Operations
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Olivia Houlston
Events & Campaigns
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Shereen Johal
Advisor
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Vixx Thompson
Trans Inclusion Officer
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Becky Marston
Fundraising Advisor
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Liam Sheasby
Media Officer: Photography & Website
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Dan Twist
Media Officer: Social Media & Design
Founding Members
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Sarah Robinson
Founder and former Vice Chair
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Jordan Muckley
Founder and former Campaigns Officer
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David Price
Founder and former Treasurer
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Neil Basterfield
Former General Secretary & Co-Chair
Famous Proud Baggies
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Joe Lycett
Comedian
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Alison Spittle
Comedian
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Richie Anderson
Proud Baggies patron
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Jo Boaler
Author
Visions & Aims
Our Aims
We're seeking total parity within West Bromwich Albion Football Club.
We want to work with the Albion's management to champion awareness of LGBTQ+ issues at the Club and to tackle fan concerns.
Social
We want to build a social group of members and offer opportunities to meet before, during and after games.
We also want regular social gatherings - football-related or not - so that members have a safe, inclusive environment to relax in and be their true selves.
As we expand our group, we will further connect and socialise with other fan groups who share common goals of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Our Mission
We want to bring the football and LGBTQ+ community together to celebrate diversity and increase LGBTQ+ visibility at WBA FC, making our club a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
We will support other local and national groups in tackling LGBTQ+ issues sport and football in particular, and we intend to actively support agreed LGBTQ+ Organisations/charities who share common goals.
The Club
We're pursuing regular meetings with nominated officers of WBA to discuss LGBTQ+ issues, and to develop and execute a vision and strategy with the Club regarding LGBTQ+ matters.
We also plant to partner with other WBA fan groups to promote equality, celebrate diversity and inclusion across all minority groups.
In addition, we want to be an active member of the WBA Supporters community, and we will actively promote the work of other WBA fan groups in the process.
Support
Proud Baggies celebrates diversity and will provide a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ fans and allies.
We will also provide a forum for discussing WBA in a safe, inclusive environment, as well as providing advice/guidance on LGBT+ issues.
We will be a visible part of the LGBTQ+ community both locally and, where appropriate, nationally.
Engagement
We aspire to communicate to our membership and the community through regular updates via a range of social media and emails.
We will seek regular feedback from all stakeholders to ensure Proud Baggies is delivering for its members and meeting the high standards we set ourselves.
