Council staff and Play on Sports raise money for Syrian refugees

Emdad Rahman

Tower Hamlets Council staff and Play On Sports have organised a 5-a-side indoor football tournament to raise money and awareness for Syrian refugee children.

Tournament organiser Akbal Ahmed said: “After seeing that photo of little Aylan Kurdi washed ashore – and having seen another picture of him playing football, taken sometime before his death, you’d have to be pretty callous not to feel anything.

“I know a lot of people in Tower Hamlets and other boroughs who are fundraising and volunteering to help out in one way or another, and this tournament was a perfect opportunity to raise money. I’m glad that we were able to enjoy a great evening of football. There was lots of banter, sporting behaviour and the most important result of the night was the fact that this big hearted bunch raised hundreds of pounds for such an important humanitarian cause. The biggest result on the day was the £630 raised for Syrian refugee children. Well done to everyone that took part.”

Play On Sports have a new centre in Whitechapel, E1. Their refurbished building has ten multi-sport courts over three floors – that’s over 3,500sqm of indoor floor space to play sports on, including: tennis, football, netball, cricket, softball and hockey, as well as other indoor games.

•Court rates start from £25 per hour and the centre is open from 9am-10:30pm, seven days a week, throughout the autumn. For more information visit the website at: playonsports.co.uk

•The money raised from the tournament will be donated to the Aylan Kurdi Fund & Hand in Hand for Syria, set up to support child victims of war in Syria.

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Photo: Jahed Mortuza