Warwicks Rowers To Attend Student Pride
(photos: associated press)
The men at Warwick Rowing have struck gold
with their 2014 calendar, their fifth. Featured on Good
Morning, America and The Jonathan
Ross Show, the calendar has proved a critical and commercial success around
the world.
Their success was recently confirmed when
they picked up no less than TWO National Calendar Awards at London’s
prestigious annual awards ceremony.
Now, the boys are returning to London, taking
their message of diversity and inclusion to the national Student Pride event, where
they aim to raise awareness of Sport Allies, the campaign they have founded to
challenge homophobia in sport.
Saturday will see the boys handing out
prizes in full racing lycra on stage at 3:30pm as well as manning a stall
12:30pm – 5:00pm where visitors can talk to the boys, ask about the campaign
and their own experiences as well as pose for photos.
The rowers will be
raising awareness about Sport Allies, the new outreach programme that they have
funded and launched with help from UK registered charity EACH (Educational
Action Challenging Homophobia and major professional services firm, EY (Ernst
& Young). Sport Allies aims to
support young people to define and express themselves, particularly in relation
to their sexuality, without fear of prejudice. Working on the calendar project has brought the need for
this programme home to Laurie, one of this year’s biggest stars:
“Working on
the calendar and the development of Sport Alllies has given me a chance to meet
people from the LGBT community that I might not otherwise have met. To hear their experiences of being
bullied, of struggling to come to terms with their sexuality, has been both
moving and shocking. I hope that
our calendars and our films can help things to change. Not just by funding our outreach work,
but by making a statement. We embrace
everyone who enjoys the calendars and films, whatever their gender or sexuality. We had fun creating them and we want
everyone to have fun looking at them.
It’s all good!”
The affirmative tone
and message of the Warwick Rowers products have found favour among both male
and female fans around the world.
Tweets, blogs and emails are already flooding in about the new
film: “All I can say is
WOW!!!! You should be so proud”;
“This years’ video is OUTSTANDING!! I love it”; “What a great film! You’ve captured camaraderie and
youthful exuberance, as well as hotness – and in a way that isn’t creepy!”;
“This is beautiful! I’m buying two
copies: one for my daughter, and one for my gay son.” ; “Good grief. The first minute
alone! I need to lie down.”
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