City join Football Welcomes Campaign

Clubs across the UK join Amnesty’s Football Welcomes campaign to show solidarity with those who have fled conflict and persecution.

Bath City FC is joining football clubs across the country this April to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum, as Amnesty International’s Football Welcomes campaign returns for its sixth year.

Football Welcomes, which is supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, celebrates the role football can play in bringing people together with the aim of creating more welcoming communities for refugees.

To mark the month, Bath City FC is inviting local refugees and people seeking asylum to attend their home match on April 15th free of charge, with children welcomed to participate in a kickaround on the main stadium pitch.

Our charity, The Bath City FC Foundation, has also been delighted to set up a partnership with Julian House and now runs a football session specifically for refugee families which is held weekly at Odd Down Community Centre.

Foundation CEO James Carlin explained, “We currently have nine young people participating weekly and funding for this project has been secured until September thanks to the Somerset FA. We are delighted to see the positive difference football can make for young refugees and their families living in Bath.”

Bath City FC 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.

Naomi Westland, Head of Football Welcomes at Amnesty International UK, said:

“Now more than ever we need to show support to and solidarity with refugees and Football Welcomes is a great initiative to do this. It’s heartening to see clubs like Bath City FC using football as a powerful force for good, bringing people together and a 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.”