AS CELTIC and Rangers get ready to clash on the pitch once more when the new football season begins, charity volunteers are urging supporters to ‘kiss bigotry goodbye’.

Máire Cooney, a trustee with former Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year Cara Henderson’s charity Nil by Mouth, will lead a team of cyclists around Glasgow’s big grounds to spread the anti-hate message.

Cara, who won the title for her pioneering anti-sectarianism work, explained: “The cycle aims to raise money for our Champions for Change schools programme, which brings together pupils from different religious and cultural traditions.

“Last year, we delivered the project to more than 7000 pupils in 100 schools across 23 local authorities and this year, we want to host a series of ‘inter-school’ events.

“In the past, we have seen schools record albums together, produce artwork, make world record attempts and compete in sports days.”

She added: “I really like this initiative because I believe that if children are able to socialise with others from different backgrounds, they will see they have much more in common with each other than they might otherwise think.

“In the words of the late Jo Cox MP, ‘we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than the things which divide us’.

“The main aim is to show that difference is something to be celebrated, rather than feared.”

The cycle takes place on August 6, the first day of the new Scottish football season. Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers will once again be part of the same league, prompting concerns about fan behaviour and its consequences.

Nil by Mouth’s campaign director Dave Scott said: “There will always be rivalry between the Old Firm clubs - that's the nature of football - and we can't ignore that this has turned ugly in the past.

“We are not naive to the potential for bad behaviour as the league fixture returns but through campaigns such as 'Kiss Bigotry Goodbye' and our school programme we have also seen fans of both clubs put their rivalry into perspective.”

He added: “We have seen huge progress over the last two decades both on and off the pitch and I will never waver from my belief that the vast majority of fans of both clubs are decent people.”

Nil by Mouth was set up by Glasgow teenager Cara Henderson in response to the brutal sectarian murder of her school friend Mark Scott in 1995.

Last year, alongside City of Glasgow College, it launched its hugely successful ‘Kiss Bigotry Goodbye’ campaign which seeks to promote the positive face of Scottish football through a range of events with football clubs, fan groups and local schools.

Now the charity is hoping that the Scottish public will get behind the cycle and dig deep to help even more pupils join in the fun.

Dave Scott added: “We were thrilled when Máire came up with this idea and she is really keen to show that football can be a force for good in our society.

“We have seen a huge demand for our schools programme in recent years and a major part of the programme is bringing pupils from different religious and cultural backgrounds together, allowing us to effectively challenge myths and stereotypes some may have about others.

“Through Champions for Change we have seen new friendships formed, old prejudices banished and strong relationships built.”

You can donate to the campaign via the Nil by Mouth website or by visiting https://mydonate.bt.com/events/kissbigotrygoodbye/321151