A CAMPAIGN to stamp out hate crime has been launched by a housing association.

Housing Pendle and Twin Valley Homes’ ‘Elimin-hate’ initiative was unveiled at Blackburn with Darwen Hate Crime conference, held at the Shahi Qila restaurant in Blackburn.

The campaign has been backed by the mother of murdered student Sophie Lancaster, Sylvia, who appears in a DVD produced using staff and residents from the two organisations.

After discussions with Mrs Lancaster, Housing Pendle and Twin Valley Homes have included a ‘seventh strand’ to their hate crime policy, which means that attacks on individuals because of their lifestyle or dress code will be treated as a hate-related incident and not just religion, gender, age, disability, race and sexual orientation as is current Government legislation.

Sophie lost her life, aged 20, after she and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were attacked in Bacup’s Stubbylee Park beca-use of their alternative style of dress.

Ian Bell, Head of Housing at Twin Valley Homes, said: “We’re taking a pro-active stance against hate and hate-motivated crime with our ‘Elimin-hate’ campaign.

“The DVD will be shown to both victims and perpetrators, as we hope to spread a more positive message to the wider community.”

Housing Pendle Executive Director Ian Clark added: “This is a positive move to show that hate crime in all its forms is simply not acceptable.”

Lancashire Telegraph sub-editor Anna Mansell provided the narration for the DVD.

On Thursday, an animated film depicting Sophie’s final moments will be shown on MTV, on what would have been her 23rd birthday.