Young footballers from ten different nationalities have participated in a football tournament, organised by St Stephen’s Church earlier this month.
Volunteers from the Broadgate Church hosted the competition held at a nearby school on 19 October.
Four teams made up of Muslim, Christian and Hindu backgrounds battled it out, ending with a penalty shoot-out decider.
Afghan asylum seekers from the Tickled Trout Hotel in Preston also joined in on the action.
Organiser Andy Pratt said: “Massive thanks to everyone involved in today’s football tournament! Great job on pulling it off despite the rainy weather.
“It was promising to see that football joy and laughter have brought different backgrounds together. The event was a real showcase of community spirit and gave our newcomers a taste of British life beyond isolation inside the hotel.”
Andy added: “I chatted with some of the Afghan guys who took part, and their stories were amazing. They loved how the tournament brought people together and helped break down barriers.
“One young lad said it felt like he’d been set free – powerful stuff. It’s moments like these that make a real difference.”
