Unbeaten Innings

Unbeaten Innings is the fascinating autobiographical account of the life of Steve Stephenson, MBE. It is a vivid insight into his love of sport, family life and career in local government; both as a social worker and as a prominent equality and human rights campaigner. It also highlights his dedication to tackling racism, both in his working environment and through a lifetime of voluntary work in support of Black cricketers and footballers, in particular. Steve Stephenson grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to the UK when he was eighteen years old. From his early years working on the assembly line at Chrysler to his role as a senior social worker and manager of the Malcolm X Centre in Bristol, Stephenson has dedicated his life to helping others. His years as leader of the Starlight Youth Club in Luton are just one example of his outstanding commitment to the voluntary sector, whilst his talent for raising money for charitable organisations has become legendary within the Black community. As both a player and passionate fan of cricket, Stephenson has supported, helped and even fed members of the West Indies teams during their visits to the UK over the past four decades. As a result, many of their key players count him as a close friend and, in turn, assist in his charitable activities. He was also the first to pay tribute to the pioneers of Black British football, and continues to actively campaign against racism in all walks of life. He ends his book by saying that he 'will be happy to be remembered as a person who did make a difference.' After reading Unbeaten Innings, many more will be able to testify that he certainly did just that.