On Saturday 23rd May, Footy Japan KK held their 11th annual Charity football tournament at Yokohama Country & Athletic club. This time the event included a children’s tournament in the morning as well as the regular, adults 7’s in the afternoon. A total of 18 children’s teams and 12 adults teams competed for cups & medals, whilst support from companies including Relo Japan, adidas, Robert Walters and many others, helped raise a total of ¥411,000 for Refugees International Japan (RIJ).
Recently RIJ have been helping fund education projects for Syrian refugee children and this substantial amount raised will provide books and uniforms for about 80 children, ensuring their place at school for the coming year. It’s vital that these children continue their education, allowing them to socialise with other children and, above all, feel normal (after the ravages of civil war). It also allows their parents time to deal with issues relating to their displacement and gives them some space. The UN has warned of a ‘lost generation’ of children from the Syrian conflict so education projects like this are vital.
Over the past 10 years, Footy Japan and NPO Centre Circle have raised a total of over ¥6 million through charity football events and are very happy to be able to support such great causes as Refugees International Japan.
On the day, (a beautiful sunny one at that!) YC&AC’s own team were under 8’s Champions, St Maur International School won the under 10’s and British Football Academy the under 12’s. The adults 7 – a – side was a tough affair with Pumas FC winning all of their matches and making off with the silverware. The 400+ people present at the event enjoyed a great days football – the parents on the sidelines seemingly even more excited than the kids on the pitch! See the British Football Academy Facebook page for all the photos from the day.
For more information on upcoming tournaments, leagues and summer soccer camps see british-football-academy.com.
