Celebrating Black History Month: Barry Hayles and Delroy Hibbert

This October, Bristol Rovers Community Trust is proud to celebrate Black History Month and support the EFL’s Together Against Racism campaign.

IMAGE: 13.10.26 - Bristol Rovers community trust support black history month and efl together against racism

Black History Month is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the history, achievements and contributions of Black people across the UK and within our local community. It is also an opportunity to listen, learn and highlight the experiences of people who continue to make a difference both on and off the pitch.

As part of our celebrations, we will be sharing the stories and experiences of two individuals with strong connections to Bristol Rovers and the wider community: former Bristol Rovers FC player Barry Hayles and Bristol Rovers Community Trust Trustee Delroy Hibbert.

Bristol Rover FC Former Player, Barry Hayles -

Barry Hayles is a familiar name to Bristol Rovers supporters, having represented the club during his football career. As part of our Black History Month celebrations, we asked Barry to reflect on his experiences in football, the people who influenced and inspired him throughout his journey, and the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation.

“Black History Month means to me that, all over the world, Black people have helped shape different societies and cultures I was inspired by my father’s work ethic and his passion to succeed in any job he put his hand to. Unfortunately, my father passed away when I was a teenager, so he never got to see my career blossom. My oldest brother has also been a big inspiration to me. From a young age, he worked with me and pushed me to improve my abilities and develop my career. My message to the younger generation is to never give up on your dreams. There will be knocks and adversities along the way, but how you overcome those challenges is what matters. Perseverance is key.”

His story provides an opportunity to look beyond the football pitch and explore the experiences that helped shape his career and the person he became.

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Bristol Rovers Community Trust Trustee, Delroy Hibbert -

Alongside Barry's story, we will also hear from Bristol Rovers Community Trust Trustee Delroy Hibbert. With his involvement in the community and his role with the Trust, Delroy will share his own experiences and reflections on Black History Month, representation and the importance of inspiring young people.

His perspective highlights the role that community organisations, individuals and sport can play in creating positive opportunities and encouraging the next generation to believe in what they can achieve.

“Black History Month is one of the few opportunities to celebrate Black achievements and contributions, especially with regards to this country. Quite often our history and stories are missing from school textbooks which can lead to Black communities only being viewed through the lens of the media unless people are particularly looking for it. At a time when we are inundated with misinformation and ignorance from extremists, it is even more important to present positive stories as a counter balance. Personally, I would say this was largely down to my parents who always inspired me to reach for the skies despite the barriers I might face but I have a passion for music and was also inspired intellectually by artists who made me aware of social issues through their lyrics and offered guidance to me as a young man. One lyric that has always stood out for me was written by Bob Marley 'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, None but ourselves can free our minds'. For me, this was a reminder that despite the problems we face in society, we should also remember that one change we can always make is self-improvement. Don't wait for things to happen, set clear goals, be the change you want to see, and importantly never be afraid to ask for help!”

At Bristol Rovers Community Trust, we believe football and sport can be powerful tools for bringing people together, creating opportunities and helping people reach their potential.

Black History Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Black people within football, our community and wider society, while also recognising the importance of continued conversations around equality, inclusion and representation.

Through Barry and Delroy's stories, we hope to give young people an opportunity to hear directly from people who have taken different journeys, overcome challenges and made a lasting impact.

Their experiences can help demonstrate that there are many different paths to success — whether that is on the football pitch, through community work or in any other area of life.

Throughout October, we'll be sharing more from Barry Hayles and Delroy Hibbert across our social media channels as we celebrate Black History Month and support the EFL Together Against Racism campaign.

By sharing stories, celebrating achievements and creating opportunities to listen and learn, we can help inspire the next generation - both on and off the pitch.

#BlackHistoryMonth #TogetherAgainstRacism #BristolRovers #BRCT #EFL