Gwalia boosts Wales Homeless soccer bid
By Andy Pearson
Grŵp Gwalia has pledged to help the Wales Homeless football team to reach the next Homeless World Cup after the squad was unable to participate in this year’s tournament due to lack of funding.
Wales at last year’s Homeless World Cup in Italy.
The four-a-side tournament is held to raise awareness of the estimated one billion people around the world who are homeless. This year’s is in Brazil in September.
Gwalia has signed a partnership agreement with homeless soccer organisers Street Football Wales to support the initiative by aiming to access funding with a view to securing long term financial stability and enabling an eight-strong Wales squad to participate in next year’s global tournament in Paris.
The team features players from Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Carmarthen.
Street Football Wales, based in Swansea, will be holding its inaugural AGM at the city’s Liberty Stadium tomorrow (Thursday, July 22) to promote its work and to raise awareness of homelessness.
Assembly Members Bethan Jenkins, Val Lloyd and John Beynon plan to attend alongside representatives from the Football Association of Wales and the Welsh Football Trust to give their support and to agree a way forward for the project.
Keri Harris, chairman of Street Football Wales, said: “We work with people aged 16 and over who may be facing difficulties such as homelessness, mental ill-health, substance misuse or long term unemployment.
“We also give participants access to advice on issues like housing, health, education and employment.
“The team was extremely disappointed not to be able to attend the Homeless World Cup this year, especially as all the other home nations will be competing. We’re hoping that with Gwalia’s support we’ll be able to make it to France 2011.”
Street Football Wales hold weekly training sessions during the season along with one match day each month. 12 Welsh teams compete in the league – eight from Swansea, two from Cardiff and one each from Newport and Carmarthen. A separate ‘social inclusion’ cup competition in October features 16 teams. Players fundraise for Street Football Wales.
Tags: football, Grŵp Gwalia, Gwalia, homeless, Street Football Wales
