Sports transforming the lives of Refugees

Our recent work on the London Landmarks Half Marathon (LLHM) has highlighted the number of sports supporting refugees in the UK. Helping those who have been forced to flee war, hardship, and natural disasters in their home countries, sport is being used in the UK as a tool to encourage inclusion, to improve health and wellbeing and work to make them part of a cohesive society

England Netball set up a club putting on matches for women seeking assluym in the UK, with organisers talking of seeing faces haunted by trauma light up with smiles when they took to the court. Nottingham Forest FC carrying the UN Refugee Agency branding proudly on their shirts whilst LA Lakers star Wenyen Gabriel, a former refugee, is using his past experiences and reach to amplify campaigns supporting refugees. 

In the UK the running community are onboard. Official training partner of this year’s LLHM, Coopah running app, also founded the Refugee Run Club which aims to support refugees based in the midlands and south.

Gabriel, from South Sudan, talks of how being welcomed into the Refugee Run Club has changed his life here in the UK. He says “The Refugee Run Club has shown me how important it is to be part of a team, when I support and encourage my teammates, I get the same back. This has made me appreciate how wonderful it is to be part of a community.”

NGBs and organisations across the sports industry should take note. Why? Because it demonstrates human compassion, allows coaching teams and athletes to give back, it truly embraces inclusion, and it simply feels good.

So how can you get involved? Reach out to www.unrefugees.org.uk to find out how to support refugees and contact existing refugee support programmes to connect with their clients to make them part of your community.

You never know you might just unearth an unbelievably talented athlete in the process.