Cricket / News
Supporting young Afghan refugees through their love of cricket
In a new country far from their homeland, there is at least one familiar aspect for young Afghan refugees: the joy of playing cricket.
A crowdfunder set up to support these players’ cricketing dreams has achieved its initial target of £10,000 and has now added a stretch target of £5,000 more in order to help continue their work through winter nets in 2026.
For Afghan Youth Cricket Bristol founder Heather Booth di Giovanni, the below photo encompasses her vision “about community harmony, and about building capabilities to enable these young people to engage and contribute fully in other Bristol area clubs”.
is needed now More than ever
“We believe cricket offers these young people a unique way to heal and integrate,” says Heather.
She hopes that the money raised will provide a comprehensive development path, with funds providing qualified coaching and kit, as well as leadership development through sharing matchday responsibilities and other club tasks such as scoring.
Afghan Youth Cricket Bristol was founded in 2023 to use the shared love of cricket to help Afghan refugees aged from 14 to 25 integrate into their new community – photo: Afghan Youth Cricket Bristol
When the £10,000 target was hit, Heather wrote: “Thank you so much to all our wonderful caring and generous donors for enabling us to reach our £10,000 target, and keep going another year…
“Every donor is another supportive person they would not otherwise have known about, so every additional donation means a huge amount.”
Heather explained that for many young Afghan refugees arriving in Bristol, the simple chance to play cricket – “to join a team, share in the camaraderie and feel a part of something” – is often out of reach as they lack the kit, the facilities and the support to participate in local clubs, “and many struggle with the trauma of displacement”.
Afghan Youth Cricket Bristol was founded in 2023 to use the shared love of cricket to help Afghan refugees aged from 14 to 25 integrate into their new community.
The club provides them with a safe space and the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence needed to play league cricket. Players have already been welcomed into clubs including Bedminster and Easton Cowfolk.
“Over the past two seasons, we’ve seen incredible transformations. We’ve watched young people who were struggling with depression and trauma find joy and purpose through team activities,” Heather added.
“We’ve seen their confidence grow as they’ve played matches against teams from a wide range of backgrounds in the North Somerset Cricket League.
“For most of our players, this was their first experience with club cricket, and they wouldn’t have had this opportunity without our support.”
To donate to the crowdfunder, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/supporting-afghan-youth-cricket-in-bristol
Main photo: Afghan Youth Cricket Bristol
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