FURD football team heading for French refugee camp

31 Aug 2016 / News

In October 2015 Fuze Beyond Borders was set up with the aim of providing humanitarian aid and empowerment to refugees residing in the French border town of Dunkirk. One of their earliest projects was to develop an area for playing football within La Liniere camp.

Regular aid trips to Northern France to provide donations of food, clothing and other essentials was combined with the organisation of football training sessions for those living in the camp.

As a way of motivating refugees demoralised by their situation a football tournament has been arranged to which FURD have been invited.

Organised in association with Copa90, The Liberte Cup has been organised to bring together organisations working with football to challenge prejudice and raise awareness of the issues facing refugees living in camps on the other side of the channel.

FURD will be taking a multi-ethnic team to the refugee camp in Grande Synthe on the outskirts of Dunkirk and are asking for financial help to support the trip. We will also be donating sports clothing given to us by Sheffield Hallam University and other essentials.

We will travel on the 8th September, spend the day doing voluntary work in the camp on the 9th before competing for the Liberte Cup on the 10th.

This is a unique opportunity for young people volunteering with FURD to get a better understanding of the issues facing refugees and the crisis across Europe. We are however in need of support in funding the trip.

FURD is also taking part in a documentary being made alongside the tournament asking the question 'can football help ease the migrant crisis?'

FURD Joint CEO Mehrun Ahmed climbed England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, on 29th August to raise money for essential supplies for refugees.

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