I have just been to an EDI meeting at the football club and wanted to let you know a little strand of things currently happening with Boro in the community.
I just wanted to briefly let you all know about a few things currently happening with Boro working in the community, in particular the muslim community.
MFC Foundation are running weekly Ramadan Football sessions at Teesside University. Excellent facilities provided by the Uni in a central location. There is expert coaching from Boro and it has proven so popular that they are pretty much at full capacity for all the pitches with over 100 now turning up each session. The football is played on an evening, 9pm to midnight after the breaking of the fast meal.
Last week I was invited along with a delegation from Boro and MFC Foundation, the police, the mayor and community groups to the Iftar (breaking the fast) meal at Waterloo Road mosque. We were all made to feel very welcome and after having fasted all day (except I did drink water, the mayor didn't) it gave a little bit of insight into the month of fasting.
Families from the community pay for the food. Wow, we had a feast, rice dishes to pizzas and even dates and doughnuts.
The Ramadan football is also attracting a sizeable percentage of non muslim people so in that sense also helps inclusivity, breaking down any barriers that might have gone up following riots last year.
Today an imam (muslim religious leader) spoke to a Boro staff gathering regarding Ramadan. And there are plans in swing for a big Iftar meal and a children's party.
In more general terms there is a Show Racism The Red Card event at Boro next month, which is a national north east based anti racism charity that works with football and footballers to educate school children about the causes and consequences of racism. A couple of schools will be an audience and take part in discussions and workshops, involving present and past Boro players.
MFC Foundation take the Boro badge into Premier Kicks sessions in inner urban communities working with the police and other community groups to provide after schools activities for teenagers. It takes them of the streets and gives them a sense of purpose and community. It is one thing praised by the knife crime charities and I have mentioned it here because these sessions very much break down barriers dividing communities.
I just wanted to briefly let you all know about a few things currently happening with Boro working in the community, in particular the muslim community.
MFC Foundation are running weekly Ramadan Football sessions at Teesside University. Excellent facilities provided by the Uni in a central location. There is expert coaching from Boro and it has proven so popular that they are pretty much at full capacity for all the pitches with over 100 now turning up each session. The football is played on an evening, 9pm to midnight after the breaking of the fast meal.
Last week I was invited along with a delegation from Boro and MFC Foundation, the police, the mayor and community groups to the Iftar (breaking the fast) meal at Waterloo Road mosque. We were all made to feel very welcome and after having fasted all day (except I did drink water, the mayor didn't) it gave a little bit of insight into the month of fasting.
Families from the community pay for the food. Wow, we had a feast, rice dishes to pizzas and even dates and doughnuts.
The Ramadan football is also attracting a sizeable percentage of non muslim people so in that sense also helps inclusivity, breaking down any barriers that might have gone up following riots last year.
Today an imam (muslim religious leader) spoke to a Boro staff gathering regarding Ramadan. And there are plans in swing for a big Iftar meal and a children's party.
In more general terms there is a Show Racism The Red Card event at Boro next month, which is a national north east based anti racism charity that works with football and footballers to educate school children about the causes and consequences of racism. A couple of schools will be an audience and take part in discussions and workshops, involving present and past Boro players.
MFC Foundation take the Boro badge into Premier Kicks sessions in inner urban communities working with the police and other community groups to provide after schools activities for teenagers. It takes them of the streets and gives them a sense of purpose and community. It is one thing praised by the knife crime charities and I have mentioned it here because these sessions very much break down barriers dividing communities.
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