A walking group which helps build the confidence of refugees and asylum seekers has won funding from Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin.
Mayor Brabin visited the group, run by the Huddersfield Town Foundation, which aims to boost the wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers by helping them to access friendly football games.
The walk and the football are both organised by the Town Foundation, the official charity of Huddersfield Town AFC.
Huddersfield Town Foundation are using a community grant to train and pay people to lead more walks around the town, to improve refugees’ confidence and help them access support services organised by volunteers and charities across Kirklees.
The club’s walking activities have been made possible thanks to funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority – which wants to get people walking and cycling more often.
The most recent round of grants awarded from the £100,000 pot was confirmed in May, with 23 community-based organisations successfully applying to the fund.
At the launch, the Mayor met refugees and representatives from Huddersfield Town Foundation, as well as local councillors and leaders of organisations who support refugees in Kirklees.
Walk leaders and volunteer mentors will help overcome language barriers among the group, who speak over 50 languages between them.
The walking club is being run by the Town Foundation in association with the Kirklees Cohesion team, Third Sector Leaders and Destitute Asylum Seekers Huddersfield.
Mayor Brabin said: “We know it’s not one size fits all with walking and cycling, which is why we are supporting community groups across the region and targeting funds where they can make the biggest difference. This is just one example of how we’re building a better-connected West Yorkshire.
“I’m delighted to see how this walking club in Huddersfield, funded through our community grants scheme, is doing just that, while also helping those who are seeking sanctuary from war and persecution.”
Siobhan Atkinson, chief executive of the Town Foundation, said: “By using walking groups, we can support refugees and asylum seekers to integrate into Kirklees and learn how to find local places of interest. We want to deliver opportunities that bring people together to foster friendships, but also to have healthy lifestyles.
“Working with those in need is what the work of the Huddersfield Town Foundation is all about, and we are delighted to have the support of the Combined Authority to help us achieve this.”
