FOUR football teams will look to get their hands on the coveted prize of the Reading Community Cup on Saturday.
Held at John Madejski Academy, it will be the fifth running of the competition, which features Sanctuary Strikers, Giveback FC, Bethel United and Care4Calais FC.
The event is organised by Reading Refugee Support Group and is part of Refugee Week, which runs from June 19-25, and is in line with this year’s theme of ‘being compassionate’.
Tomson Chauke, Chairman and co-founder of Sanctuary Strikers FC, said: ‘Our main mission is not just to play football but to build a bridge for social integration. We want our players to integrate well within society and in so doing, increase their sense of belonging.”
The competition highlights and helps asylum seekers and refugees, who make up the teams who play, settle into life in Reading.
Organisers believe football is a great way to get people talking about their backgrounds.
Despite the humanitarian intentions of the event, there is no doubt that games will be hotly contested, with Giveback looking to defend the title they won narrowly through penalties last year.
Sanctuary Strikers are supported by the University of Reading’s Community Fund and the John Sykes Foundation, who are helping the club address its most urgent needs.
