Football Welcomes refugees at Jeanfield

This weekend, teams across Jeanfield Swifts Community Club will take part in a UK wide initiative that promotes how football can be a positive force in communities and a real asset to helping refugee families integrate into their new country and culture.

Amnesty International UK have organised the Football Welcomes activity to take place this weekend to celebrate the contribution refugees make to the game.

The first Football Welcomes weekend took place in April 2017, on the 80th anniversary of the arrival in the UK of a group of child refugees from the Spanish Civil War who went on to become some of the first refugees to play professional football here. Players whose families have had to flee conflict and persecution have been making their mark on the game ever since.

Over 160 clubs from across the UK are taking part this year, including clubs from the Scottish Premiership and Championship as well as the English Premier League and a host of other grassroots clubs.

Steve Antoniewicz, Chair of Jeanfield Swifts Community club said "We are delighted to support Amnesty UK's Football Welcomes programme across our club. It's really important that football clubs are open to all and support people from across the community, especially those who have come seeking asylum or refuge."

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International’s Scotland Programme Director, said:
“Football Welcomes gives us a fantastic opportunity to showcase the contribution refugees have made to the game for decades and also highlights how football can help refugees, newly arrived in Scotland, be welcomed by their communities.

“We are delighted that Jeanfield Swifts Community Club have offered such enthusiastic support across their youth, ladies, and mens matches for Football Welcomes 2019 and look forward to working in partnership with them.”

This weekend Jeanfield Swifts will promote Football Welcomes in their youth, ladies and mens matches. The Senior team will face Dunbar United in the EOSFL League Cup at Riverside Stadium, Perth on Saturday 27th April 2.30pm KO.