Foundation offers a warm welcome to young refugees!

Refugees as young as five are being helped to settle into their new lives by AFC Fylde Community Foundation.

A ground-breaking programme launched by the Foundation is helping to support the youngsters as they slowly learn to embrace their new futures on the Fylde.

Based at Fylde Sports and Education Centre at Mill Farm, the Young Refugee Resettlement Youth Club uses a mixture of sport, education, enrichment and mentoring sessions to encourage the children to develop a greater understanding of local culture.

Held twice a week, the Foundation aim to work with as many children as possible and is operating a free bus service to collect little ones from as far afield as Lancaster and Fleetwood.

The new initiative means the Foundation team are now working with refugees of all ages. It already provides practical hands-on support for adults – some over the age of 80 – helping them to overcome the challenges they may face in their new environment. 

The Foundation’s Community Development Manager, Matt Agnew, is delighted at the impact the work of his team is having on the lives of both young and old refugees.

He said: “The Refugee Resettlement Programme is a fantastic initiative that makes a massive difference in our community. It’s unique and serves a real purpose. It’s something we are all incredibly proud of.

“Helping children who have been through great upheaval in their young lives to feel welcomed and settled in the local community is extremely rewarding.

“I’m confident the work we are delivering at the moment will reap huge rewards in the future.”

For more information regarding The Young Refugee Resettlement Youth Club please call 01772 598852.

For more information and news stories please visit www.afcfyldefoundation.co.uk or keep up to date on twitter @afcfct.