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1 Sport for ALL 

We organised evening and w/e cricket sessions and a full friendly game (in the local public Pearson Park) through the summer months. We had a good response from the refugee community and attracted four new supervisory volunteers to the cricket. In total approximately 40 people enjoyed the sessions. We spent just under £200 on a variety of cricket equipment including new bats and balls and some kit/footwear for players.

We have been invited by the local Hymers College in Hull, who heard about our efforts during the summer to play against their Headmasters cricket X1 next July, 2017 using their excellent outdoor cricket facility. This hopefully will become an annual event and lead to sporting and social partnerships.

Three of our young cricket players have received a small amount of the Guardian funds to participate in the indoor cricket school during the winter months at St Mary`s 6 th Form College in Hull. They are very keen and are all from African countries here in the UK seeking asylum with their families.

Football 5 – a – side sessions have been organised in November and will continue into December 2016. A sports hall is hired for 2 hr sessions (£50).

We have been invited (up to 15 refugees) by one of the two professional rugby league teams in the city, Hull Kingston Rovers, to attend a championship RL match next season 2017. The group will meet with players and staff and receive hospitality and main stand seats. It will be an adventure for this group and add to their experience of sport and culture whilst in the UK. A few of the group have expressed an interest in rugby league (having watched it on TV).

 

2 Enhancement to the services/support provided for refugees at the Open Doors Project/ asylum seeker destitute accommodation in west Hull.

Hull City of Sanctuary supports the accommodation needs of up to three asylum seekers at a house owned by the local Catholic Church.

The fund has supported the purchase of a TV licence (2 years) and the replacement of some household items and importantly for a contribution towards the cost of ESOL fees for the asylum seekers who require English language training.

3 Through the good auspices of the volunteers at the busy Open Doors Project several “away day” trips have been organised for the refugees and asylum seekers. 

These have included day visits to Rippon in North Yorkshire (countryside and market town), Scarborough (seaside) and a future trip to the historic city of York is planned to take UK born families and Syrian families who will meet “friends” in the city who welcome strangers. ( part of Give Women a Voice). These events have been exceedingly popular with the refugees who have taken the opportunity to engage with local people and some refugees in other parts of the North of England. It is hoped that exchange visits will be organised at some time in the future so that the refugees in Hull and the East Riding can themselves be “hosts” for a day.

4 Efforts to engage with the local business community

This has included “welcome leaflets” which have been well received with a good response in the early stages of distribution. Part of the fund will also be used to promote the 2017 Hull Refugee week celebrations and activities and importantly the role that Hull City of Sanctuary will have in the Hull City of Culture Year 2017, when it will host WORLD REFUGEE DAY on 20 th June in the newly named Hull Minster