WE all have a role to play in showing solidarity with people who have had to flee their homes and rebuild their lives in another country. That’s why we’re supporting Amnesty UK’s #FootballWelcomes month to welcome refugees.
Middlesbrough FC and MFC Foundation are 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 this year coincides with the return of grassroots sport as lockdown rules ease, which provides a much-needed opportunity for people to reconnect with each other and their communities and to improve mental and physical health.
To mark the month, which is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the Foundation will be hosting their usual twice-weekly Football Welcomes sessions, while the club will be showing their continued support in different ways.
Naomi Westland, Movement Building Manager at Amnesty International UK, said: “With the long-awaited return of outdoor activities, we are excited to see the commitment from the footballing community to come together and welcome refugees.
“Clubs like Middlesbrough and their Foundation are at the heart of their communities and football can be powerful force for good, bringing people together and a providing a sense of purpose and belonging. For those who’ve fled conflict and persecution and had to leave everything behind, this is incredibly important.
“It’s heartening to see football clubs across the country doing great work in their communities to show there is more that unites us than divides us.”