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Clubs across the UK join Amnesty’s Football Welcomes campaign to welcome refugees
Partnered with Human Relief Foundation and Bradford City FC Community Foundation to create an appeal for Ukraine Refugees.
Bradford City FC Community Foundation is collecting donations in and around Bradford to sort and organise.
Adam from the Community Foundation is transporting Humanitarian Aid to the Romania/Ukraine border to a mothers and babies charity.
Distributing specific donations to Refugees in the Bradford area.
Creating a welcome pack that includes what community programmes and projects we run in Bradford.
Invite Bradford Refugees to a Bradford City home game through our community tickets programme.
Bradford City FC Community Foundation is joining football clubs across the country this month (April) to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum, as part of Amnesty International’s Football Welcomes campaign.
Now in its fifth year, Football Welcomes celebrates the contribution players from a refugee background make to the game and highlights the role football can play in bringing people together and creating more welcoming communities for refugees.
Football Welcomes comes this year during the biggest refugee crisis Europe has seen since the Second World War. Images and stories of people fleeing Ukraine have once again shown the plight of refugees, the trauma they face when fleeing conflict, and the need for countries and communities around the world to welcome them.
To mark the month, which is supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery,
Bradford City FC Community Foundation is currently collecting, sorting, boxing and sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine, we’re also sorting through donations and working with Charities like HRF and Womanszone to offer support and help to refugees living in Bradford.
“Bradford is known for its diversity and football is known for bringing people together, we want to make sure the work we do in the community is accessible and our programmes are available for everyone.”
Ian Ormondroyd CEO of Bradford City FC Community Foundation
Bradford is also on the shortlist to become the UK City of Culture 2025. Being the next UK City of Culture will transform Bradford district into a creative powerhouse – building on our existing cultural assets and heritage; attracting significant investment, jobs, and new opportunities for everyone who lives and works here.
Culture promotes us to the world and connects us to our roots. A rich history, a truly international community, and a young, forward-looking population make Bradford the most compelling candidate to be the UK City of Culture for 2025. This is our time to celebrate our diverse district and its extraordinary people.
Bradford City AFC is one of many clubs from across the Premier League, English Football League, FA Women’s Super League, Championship and National League, Cymru North and South, and grassroots teams that have signed up to take part in Football Welcomes.
Some clubs offer training sessions, arrange a match or Soccercise classes for refugees. Others incorporate learning about refugee rights in their work with schools, have first-team players warming up in Football Welcomes t-shirts and help to raise awareness online.
Naomi Westland, Head of Football Welcomes at Amnesty International UK, said:
“The current refugee crisis in Ukraine shines a light on the importance of welcoming refugees wherever they're from, whether it’s Ukraine, Afghanistan, Eritrea or elsewhere. Football Welcomes is a great initiative to do this.
“It’s heartening to see clubs like Bradford City AFC using football as a powerful force for good, bringing people together and providing a sense of belonging.
“With the support from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, Amnesty will continue to welcome refugees alongside football clubs across the country to show there is more that unites us than divides us.”
Bradford City FC Community Foundation:
For more information about BCCF www.bradfordcitycf.org.uk
Follow us on Socials: @BCAFC_CF
Amnesty International UK:
For more information about Amnesty: www.amnesty.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @NewsFromAmnesty
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