The Reading Community Cup returns for its third year on Saturday, June 25, at the University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus.
The tournament has been organised by the University of Reading and Sanctuary Strikers, Reading’s refugee football team, along with the funding from the John Sykes Foundation’s Community Fund.
READ MORE: Grassroots refugee football team to train at Reading school
Teams playing include the Sanctuary Strikers FC, Burghfield FC, Thames Valley Police and, the returning champions, Give Back FC.
The tournament is part of Refugee Week, a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and sanctuary seekers.
Reading Community Cup is part of a wider partnership between the Sanctuary Strikers FC, Reading FC Community Trust and the University of Reading, which aims to create a better sense of belonging for refugees and sanctuary seekers in Reading through playing football.
Club secretary and co-founder, Joel Joseph, said: “Our main mission is not just to play football but to build a bridge for social integration. We aim to create a platform for ethnic minorities, especially refugees, to integrate well within society, learn from each other’s cultures and create something very special for Reading.”
Current winners Give Back FC were awarded the Reading FC Community Impact Award at the end of season gala event, recognising the positive impat it has made on the community.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here