Foundation hosts Potluck event to support refugees and asylum seekers

The Foundation team represented Refugee Action, a charity which supports refugees and asylum seekers.

Bradford City FC Community Foundation, the charitable arm of Bradford City AFC, hosted a Potluck event to show their support for refugees and asylum seekers in their community, and raise funds for Refugee Action.

The event was held on Tuesday 17th June at the Foundation’s City Hub, right next to the University of Bradford Stadium. The Potluck was held during Refugee Week, an annual arts and culture festival which celebrates the contributions and resilience of those seeking sanctuary, and takes place around World Refugee Day (20th June).

We welcomed Bradford City of Sanctuary to the event - Bradford has been named the UK's first-ever 'Cultural City of Sanctuary' as part of a landmark year for the place we call home.

The Potluck, the first such event hosted by the Foundation, was attended by refugees and asylum seekers from across the area, as well as local organisations designed to help those seeking support and sanctuary in the area. These included the NHS, Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust, the WEA, Bradford Nightstop, Bradford City of Sanctuary and many more.

Ian Ormondroyd, Foundation CEO, said: “We were absolutely delighted to run such a well-attended event, and welcome refugees and asylum seekers from across Bradford and the wider district, as well as our fellow support organisations, under one roof. We’re proud of the money we have raised for Refugee Action, a fantastic organisation, but are equally pleased to have connected numerous local organisations with the people they can directly support, and one another. This is a fantastic launching pad as we commit to continuing to support refugees and asylum seekers in our great city.”

Bertha's Legacy, an organisation dedicated to ending gender-based violence and discrimination, attended our Potluck, and posed with Billy Bantam!

Free food was supplied to all attendees, with a range of international dishes on offer. Donations were accepted for Refugee Action, an independent national charity which was founded in 1981, which provides advice and support for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK across all walks of life.

Fresh fruit for the Potluck was provided by Delifresh, who run their own Community Foundation dedicated to social responsibility and community welfare.

The Foundation invites refugees and asylum seekers to engage with Bradford City AFC through its Community Ticket scheme, which allows those seeking refuge and asylum to attend City home league games at a hugely discounted cost. The scheme will be running once again during the Bantams’ upcoming League One campaign, and refugees and asylum seekers from across the area, including organisations which directly support them, are encouraged to get in touch and cheer City on this coming season.

The Foundation can be contacted via email: office@bcfccommunity.co.uk