A new community initiative is helping support displaced people in Somerset through one of our county’s favourite summer activities – cricket.
Somerset has a long history of welcoming people who have been forced to leave their homes due to fear of violence or persecution. Anyone who finds themselves placed in Somerset will be supported by Somerset Council working alongside a range of charities and partner organisations. The Maqbul Project has been organised by the Somerset Cricket Foundation with funding from Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) through Sport England’s Together Fund. Taking its name from the Afghan Persian word for ‘beautiful’ and ‘accepted’, Maqbul has a simple aim – to use cricket to impact positively on the lives of asylum seekers and refugees in Somerset. Training and matches have been taking place at North Petherton and Weston-super-Mare Cricket Clubs, supported by groups including Charis Refugees, SASP and Voluntary Action North Somerset. Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Housing and Culture at Somerset Council, said:
Managing Director of Somerset Cricket Foundation, Jon Bendle Said
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Diverse CommunitiesColette @ SCF2023-09-26T10:52:30+00:00