On World Refugee Day each year, 20 June, the world celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution.
This year we hosted a football tournament at the Arsenal Hub and welcomed 45 refugees to take part.
Many of the participants were from our partnership with Freedom from Torture and the Helen Bamber Foundation, organisations that support torture victims from all over the world, most of whom seek asylum or refuge in the UK. These people often face not only the physical and mental impacts of torture, but also the emotional, social and practical challenges of leaving their homes, families and livelihoods behind.
Arsenal in the Community’s partnership with Freedom from Torture began with English classes in 2011, and added football groups the following year, to support adult survivors of torture. The programme was developed further this year in partnership with local charity the Helen Bamber Foundation. Twice-weekly sessions now run in the Arsenal Hub, providing a safe space and connection to the club and staff.
We are also working with Union Chapel to run weekly support sessions for asylum seekers housed in local temporary accommodation.
This year’s annual tournament also welcomed participants from the British Red Cross, with whom we have a strong relationship.
During the tournament, participants wrote down their thoughts about what home means to them – an emotional topic for many given their experiences. Since their association with us, we have always sought to foster a sense of belonging through the power of football.
One participant said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity and it’s great to see Arsenal going all out to support us. I’ve met so many great people and had a lot of fun playing at The Hub in this tournament.”
For more information, read the “Tackling Trauma” report below.
FFT: Addressing Trauma
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission is granted to use quotes from this article provided proper credit is given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
