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Preston North End embrace their multicultural fan base

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Preston North End Community and Education Trust have opened a multi-faith prayer room to allow supporters of all faiths and backgrounds to pray on home matchdays.

The prayer room is situated between blocks E and F on the Invicibles Pavilion and was unveiled for use for the first time ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Derby County.

The Mayor of Preston, Javed Iqbal, was present for the unveiling, as part of the club’s Kick It Out matchday activities to promote equality for everyone involved in football – fans, players and staff, alike.

Supporters in attendance on a home matchday whose ticket is not for the Invicibles Pavilion will be able to access the prayer room by contacting their nearest steward, who will escort supporters to the prayer room every 15 minutes.

The prayer room will be open from 90 minutes before kick-off, when the concourses open, through until full-time – allowing those who need to pray at certain times of the day to leave their seat during the game if necessary.

 

Mayor of Preston open the multi-faith prayer room. Credit: Ian Robinson/ Preston North End. 

Mo Patel – a practising Muslim supporter who volunteered on PNECET’s Ramadan initiative earlier in the year, and has since progressed to the role of casual Community Engagement Coordinator with the Trust – praised the initiative to open a prayer room.

He said: “Some supporters may have had to make a decision between choosing to pray and attending a match during certain parts of the season, due to the different times that their religion may determine that they need to pray.

“We believe that supporters of all faiths should not have to make that decision and we want to continue to break down all barriers that may prevent any of our existing fans from attending matches at Deepdale, while also encouraging members of our local community to show their support for PNE.

“The opening of the prayer room is another step in our continued work with ethnically diverse members of our community and we will continue to strive to make positive changes to make Deepdale the most welcoming and inclusive place as it possibly can be for all fans.”

Mayor of Preston, Javed Iqbal, added: “It’s an absolute pleasure and delight to open this multi-faith prayer room.

“I hope people will use it and it will help to bring more and more people to North End.”

As part of the Kick It Out matchday on Saturday, we welcomed Preston United Youth Development programme participants and their parents to watch the game against Derby County and take part in our half-time penalty shoot out.

Speaking about attending the game, a member of the parents’ group said: “It was an exhilarating experience, I really enjoyed it.

“I was really apprehensive at first but honestly I had a brilliant time. I was conscious about my headscarf but it wasn’t noticed and I’m definitely coming again.”

For more information about the prayer room, please contact [email protected].

 

 

Lincoln City’s Conversation Club helps Quenia succeed in England

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Lincoln City Foundation’s Conversation Club has allowed Brazilian native, Quenia to progress her nursing career in England.

Conversation Club is a free initiative hosted by Lincoln City Foundation to aid those who do not consider English as their first language. It was identified as a barrier for those in the local community to feel integrated and part of society and instead left them unsettled and isolated. However, through funding from the National Lottery, Conversation Club can tackle and help irradicate these societal barriers of inclusion.

Quenia joined the classes after settling in Lincoln, a vast World away from her home in Brazil but was understandably reserved when participating in open discussions due to her lack of confidence in conversing in English. As she consistently attended the club, Quenia’s belief and self-confidence continuously rose as she made friends.

In order to ensure this upwards trajectory continued to be nurtured, she secured a voluntary role in a Charity shop so she could regularly practice speaking with customers. All this effort, hard-work and determination meant after 9 months of attending the Conversation Club Quenia was successful in being accepted for a Care Assistant role similar to her profession in Brazil.

As Lincoln have adapted to a new hybrid way of delivery, this service has been made accessible to those far and wide with both in person and online sessions. Consequently, not only can residents of Lincoln attend but even those who reside in countries all over the World.

Clubs unite for EFL Day of Action

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All 72 EFL clubs and their community trusts will come together on the same day for the EFL’s Day of Action to demonstrate the positive impact football can have in changing young people’s lives.

From Plymouth to Peterborough and Sunderland to Southend, on Tuesday 20th March, EFL clubs across all three divisions will showcase the innovative and ground breaking work they do for young people in tackling some of the biggest issues in society across education, health, community inclusion and participation.

Managers and players from the EFL’s 72 clubs will be attending events up and down the country including projects that target mental health, disability and obesity.

In London, Millwall are running a mental health football tournament being held in memory of one of their players who recently died. Over 100 people are due to take part in the Dwain Inniss Cup with manager Neil Harris on hand to offer his support.

Six first team players from Bristol City will be seeing the innovative work of the club’s Youth Council, a group of young people that are making a big impact in their local area by shaping and delivering Bristol City’s community activities including girls, disability and street football. Whilst neighbours Bristol Rovers are inviting their 16-18 year old disability squad to join the first team for a training session lead by manager Darrell Clarke, followed by lunch with the first team squad.

In Yorkshire, Doncaster Rovers have committed to a whole day of activity, including a special appearance from midfielder Matty Blair, who has fronted the club’s efforts to raise awareness of mental health by drawing on his own personal experiences after the loss of his brother Ross to cancer in August 2017.

In the Midlands, Derby County will be celebrating the success of their cancer recovery programme over the past twelve months, with appearances from former Birmingham City striker Geoff Horsfield and Celtic and Aston Villa midfielder Stylian Petrov, who themselves have been affected by the illness.

There is plenty of activity being held by League Two clubs, with Cambridge United showcasing their Enterprise Project, an innovative new programme designed to help secondary school students develop their entrepreneurial and employability skills. School children in Lincoln will be running the Sport Relief Mile around the pitch at Cecil Park alongside players from the Club to raise money for the charity.

EFL Chairman, Ian Lenagan said:

“Football continues to support its communities seven days a week, 365 days a year through our unique network of Club community trusts.

“Bringing all 72 together on one day for the EFL Day of Action highlights the special role the EFL has in society and our collective ability to make a positive and lasting impact to the lives of millions of people.

“It is fantastic to see so many managers and players across England and Wales coming out in support of the excellent work being undertaken by their own Club right in the heart of their own community.

“There are few sporting organisations that can deliver the scale of innovative and ground breaking activity we do via our network of Clubs across so many important areas, including inclusion, charitable causes, community engagement, education or health.”

EXTRA TIME: ‘It takes years off you! I always claim I’m 29. I’m 87 and I love it.’

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Shrewsbury Town in the Community’s ‘Extra Time’ programme is offering people over the age of 50 in Shrewsbury a new lease of life, and you have to look no further than participant Alan Bowers to see the impact the sessions are having on those in the community.

Alan, 69, is a season ticket holder at Shrewsbury Town, but also an active member of the Extra Time programme.

Alan has been a regular participant at the club since it started five years ago, and up until recently was also a part of the Shrewsbury Town in the Community’s walking football team.

Extra Time, is aimed at getting those over the age of 50 involved in sporting activities and socialising, with sessions run every Thursday.

It’s not just limited to football, either. Alan and co find themselves doing a range of different activities each week, and whether it’s hockey, rounders, basketball, walking football or ten pin bowling, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into.

Speaking of the programme, Alan said: ”It’s such a good group of people, and they all get on with one another.

”It doesn’t matter what we’re doing, they just get out there, get some air in their lungs and just do something a bit different.”

When asked how much he has gained since joining Extra Time, he added: ”So much. Making friends, keeping healthy, keeping fit. When you retire, you get to a point of, ‘what do I do next?’

”You can’t go to a pub every day, can you?…Well maybe you can!

”But you don’t want to do that, you want to do something different. We want to do visits, we go to the pantomime every year at Theatre Severn and we have  a trip every year.”

Joining Alan at Shrewsbury Powerleague every Thursday is Irene, 87, who has been part of Extra Time for four years.

Like Alan, Irene can’t speak highly enough of the sessions, and the group that she has become so close and friendly with.

”It’s the best club I’ve ever been to, it really is.” Irene said. ”It’s a laugh from the time you go in, to the time you go out, and everybody joins in.

”It doesn’t matter if you’re any good at it. I am no good at hitting the ball in rounders, the ball goes the wrong way!

”Everybody cares for one another, it’s great! If anybody is off colour or ill, we’ve got out phone numbers.”

For a healthy and youthful lifestyle, Irene insists Extra Time is the programme for you.

”It takes years off you! I always claim I’m 29! I’m 87 and I love it.

”The laughs you have, and the friends you make…A laugh a day makes all the difference.”

To find our more about Shrewsbury Town in the Community’s Extra Time sessions visit: https://www.shrewsburytowninthecommunity.com/activities/extra-time/