Prior to Salford City FC taking on Preston North End on the 30th of July, Foundation 92’s Refugee team took on Preston North End’s Refugee team in two thrilling 5v5 fixtures.
Both teams then travelled to the Peninsula Stadium to watch Salford City vs Preston North End in the pre-season friendly before taking to the pitch at half time for a group photo with Salford City’s mascot, Billy the Lion.
The event was organised as a celebration of both organisations work for Refugees in the community with support from the Premier League Fans Fund and EFL in the Community.
Foundation 92 currently support refugees in hotels across Greater Manchester through weekly sports
sessions and holiday camp provision, whilst also providing support to adult refugees through weekly sport and employability programmes.
Foundation 92 has also recently partnered with Cif UK to redistribute old football boots to refugees.
Preston North End Community and Education Trust meanwhile support refugees through hosting a weekly football session for all across the city of Preston. The session takes place to offer the young people an opportunity to meet like-minded people and access to unique experiences. The group take part in regular football fixtures, monthly socials and access to wellbeing support.
Head of Foundation 92, Tom Hutton, said: “We’d like to thank everyone that attended tonight’s event to celebrate the fantastic work and support offered by both Foundation 92 and Preston North End Community and Education Trust to recently resettled refugees. Foundation 92 has a number of life changing support programmes for refugees across our community, and it’s fantastic to put on an event such as this to celebrate the impact football can have on the local community”.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator at Preston Community and Education Trust, Mohammed Patel, said: “It is an area of work that is very important to everyone at Preston North End. We are always looking at opportunities to support and develop the group further. Events like tonight just showcase the power of football and how it can make a positive impact to so many”.
Both projects are supported by the Premier League Fans Fund, which provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game, across England and Wales, to strengthen connections between them, their fans, and local communities.
The Fund supports a range of fan-focused and fan-led projects, helping to foster a sense of belonging through meaningful engagement. This includes schemes for under-represented groups, to further develop an inclusive and welcoming matchday experience for everyone.
Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “The Premier League Fans Fund aims to respond to local challenges, tackle inequalities and enhance connections between clubs and fans. Fans are the lifeblood of their clubs, and the Fund enables them to be at the heart of activity being run in their community.
“The important sport and employability activity being delivered by Foundation 92 and the Preston North End Community and Education Trust to support refugees, is just one of the ways in which the Fund is having a positive impact and demonstrating that football is more than a game.”
Open to 120 professional football club community charities in the Premier League, English Football League, National League, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, the Premier League Fans Fund builds on the Premier League and clubs’ commitment to ensuring long-term engagement with supporters.