New EFL Rainbow Ball reward for Proud Stags leader Kieran Halpin-Danby
Kieran Halpin-Danby, lead of Mansfield Town’s LGBTQ+ group Proud Stags was one of five fans nationally to receive one of the new limited-edition Rainbow Balls to celebrate and reward commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity in football fandom.
Last week, the EFL and PUMA marked LGBTQ+ History Month by unveiling the very first Rainbow match ball to be used in English professional football, which has featured in all Sky Bet EFL fixtures from 16th February to 24th.
Five fans have received the limited edition Rainbow Ball courtesy of Sky Bet with another five to be handed out still.
Kieran has continued to lead Mansfield’s Proud Stags LGBTQ+ group in the past year/season, actively promoting their work on social media. He also conducted an excellent interview with club captain Ollie Clarke earlier this year and discussed a range of topics, including LGBTQ+.
The PUMA ORBITA Rainbow Ball design includes the rainbow and progress colours, symbolising that football is for everyone and representing the League’s active support for inclusion throughout the game.
As part of their For The Fans campaign, Sky Bet asked clubs across the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two competitions to nominate fans for the positive work they have done in their local LGBTQ+ community.
Others to receive the first balls were Richard Young from QPR, Lydia Loughran from Huddersfield Town, Lauren Revill from Ipswich Town and Peter Wilton from Watford.