Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grants scheme announces grant to Oldham Athletic Community Trust as part of the EFL Trust’s ‘Communities United’.
Oldham Athletic Community Trust (OACT) are delighted to be announced as one of the Club Community Organisations that will be awarded funding as part of the EFL Trust’s ‘Communities United’ Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grant.
The scheme supports organisations that tackle discrimination and champion social cohesion and will also be delivered by five other EFL Trust Club Community Organisations in the North West; Rochdale, Salford, Preston, Blackburn and Bolton.
The Faith, Race and Hate Crime Grants scheme invited established community groups and civil society organisations across England to apply for funding for projects that champion the government’s commitment to building a diverse and tolerant society for all faiths and races.
A grant of £287,000 will be given to the EFL Trust’s ‘Communities United’ project. The project will bring families from different backgrounds together, increasing understanding and awareness of social and cultural differences, challenging stereotypes and uniting them through common interests and social action.
The grants will address existing community issues, as well as pressures increased by the pandemic, such as isolation.
To deliver the project, OACT are working in partnership with REEL CIC. REEL are a community interest company based in Oldham who are focused on helping make the local area a better, healthier and happier place to learn and live, giving communities a voice, offering the support and tools to help them engage in the delivery of positive provisions to create a more independent community and more positive future for all those involved.
The project will consist of a 3-stage social integration programme to promote shared values among people from different backgrounds and faith communities.
- Element 1 combines fun, social activities and local heritage discovery tasks to promote social contact, breakdown initial barriers and develop a sense of belonging to the local area.
- Element 2 will provide interactive experiences to develop understanding around faiths and cultures, including challenging stereotypes.
- Element 3 will encourage cohesiveness through a shared goal of selecting and working on a social action project. This also aims to build participants’ confidence in acting for the local community and having a voice in service delivery.
The project delivery will include a series of cultural cooking sessions where all participating families will receive recipe cards and ingredients to cook food from around the world to teach each other about different cultures. After weeks of fun and engaging sessions, the group will come together to support a social action project around something they are all passionate about to support the community of Oldham.
Faith Minister, Lord Greenhalgh said; "In this country we believe in freedom within the rule of law. We are all free to love and not to hate. This government will not tolerate hate towards anyone because of who they are.
"We stand full square in support of all communities that suffer from prejudice and discrimination and we must build a shared future in this country.
"The pandemic has hit faith communities hard with the closure of communal worship during the two lockdowns. This funding is part of our comprehensive support for them. Our faith communities instinctively love their neighbours."
Head of Community and Participation at the EFL Trust, Loo Brackpool said; "It is of great importance for the EFL Trust and our Club Community Organisations to be part of this vital project and use the power of the club badge to unite people by demonstrating common interests, increasing understanding and bridging differences.
"We will be working with family groups to help facilitate understanding across generations, as well between those from different backgrounds, cultures and faith groups. Despite the current COVID restrictions, we will find ways to deliver this project and use the learning to inform other areas of our existing community activities nationwide."
Whilst, OACT Head of Community, Martin Vose said; "We are delighted to be working alongside the EFL Trust and our regional colleagues to deliver such an impactful project. Oldham as a borough celebrates diversity and we are looking forward to showcasing this through the communities united project."