This April, Berks & Bucks FA joined members of the football community across the country in welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum, as Amnesty International’s 'Football Welcomes' campaign returned for its sixth year.

Football Welcomes, which is supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery, celebrates the role football can play in bringing people together with the aim of creating more welcoming communities for refugees.

As a County FA, ensuring that football is For All and being inclusive in all that we do is important. Part of our ongoing work sees us working with Reading Community Trust and MK Dons SET to support refugees and asylum seekers within our region. We also work with local councils and charities supporting refugees to provide free football sessions.

In addition to this, our BBFA Kit & Equipment Drive looks to support players and participants who may not have access to the relevant kit/equipment required to participate in football and we will continue to work with local our local clubs and organisations to support this initiative. Moving forward we will also look to implement initiatives and programmes to support people to help them feel welcome in the sport."

Callum Salhotra, Community & Inclusion Manager at Berks & Bucks FA, said: "We're proud to be supporting the Amnesty International 'Football Welcomes' initiative. Football is the universal language that can bring people from all cultures and backgrounds together and we want to help create an environment where Refugees and Asylum Seekers residing in our county are supported to participate in the grassroots game."

To find out more about the campaign, and how you or your club can get involved, please click here. Alternatively, to find out more about Inclusion in Football and the work happening across our region, please visit the dedicated Inclusion section of our website.