Celtic FC Foundation has today announced that it has made a £10,000 donation to the Scottish Refugee Council to support its work in supporting refugees coming to Scotland amidst the effects of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Foundation is a long-time supporter of the Scottish Refugee Council and has assisted the charity across a range of initiatives for many years, backing their work in supporting those affected by various global refugee crises previously.

Based in Glasgow’s city centre, SRC is a leading, independent national human rights charity supporting refugees across Scotland since 1985. Working with families and individuals to protect their rights and support integration and inclusion, SRC aims to help those who have fled war, conflict or abuse of human rights, to rebuild their lives in safety.

The journey taken by many of those supported by SRC is rarely an easy one and the struggle does not always end on their arrival in the UK. Refugee families living in Scotland continue to face many challenges. They live in severe poverty and isolation.

Sabir Zazai, the CEO of the Scottish Refugee Council, said: “Celtic FC Foundation has supported our work with families time and again, enabling us to provide toys and food vouchers to the most vulnerable we work with.

“This assistance has also helped us to source and distribute hundreds of phones and tablets and help grassroots organisations across Scotland to assist their neighbours and communities during the pandemic.

“Scotland has demonstrated time and time again its commitment to solidarity and sanctuary for refugees seeking protection.

“We will keep fighting for refugee rights and against hostile environment policies, and with the help of donations from partners such as Celtic FC Foundation, we will work together to make Scotland a welcoming place for everyone.

“Last summer, we received an overwhelming number of incredibly generous offers of support from people across Scotland in response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

“We know that the people of Scotland will want to show the same compassionate welcome to people fleeing Ukraine, but we need a structured resettlement programme that properly funds local authorities and communities to be able to deal with emergency situations such as those being displaced from Ukraine.”

The direct support which the Scottish Refugee Council will deliver to men, women and children as they arrive in Scotland is:

• Help people seeking safety access shelter, food and clothing, providing immediate expert advice to people who have nowhere else to turn.
• Support families rebuilding their lives, helping newly arrived parents and children as they navigate the complex asylum system.
• Protect people at risk of homelessness, so they have access to shelter and stability.
• Support refugee and local communities to work together for a safe and welcoming Scotland.

Tony Hamilton, Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation, added: “Helping displaced people coming to Scotland with food, clothing and shelter is completely in line with our own values, and we are pleased to be in a position to do that for the Scottish Refugee Council, as we have done previously.

“There are already many such people in our communities, with more coming, and it’s important for us that we maintain a strong level of support where we can.

“Our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to the work that we’re doing in Scotland and across the world as we seek to make a positive difference to the lives of so many who face such huge challenges.”