The Leeds United Foundation are showing their support for World Refugee Day throughout the week, with the Premier League Kicks team planting sunflower seeds during every session.

World Refugee Day takes place on 20th June every year and it is an international awareness event that is designed to celebrate and honour refugees from around the world.

Our Premier League Kicks (PL Kicks) team wanted to mark the occasion along with their participants, many of them refugees themselves, to help raise further awareness for people who have come to Leeds to seek sanctuary and celebrate all of their contributions to our city.

All of our PL Kicks coaches will finish their sessions 10 minutes early throughout this week to allow the young participants to plant their sunflower seeds, which was a decision made by the Foundation’s Youth Voice Group, due to their bright nature but also because they often grow in the most difficult environments.

The PL Kicks programme will also host a range of educational workshops across the city, which will be aimed at young people who may not know anything about World Refugee Day, to enable them to gain a better understanding of the different cultures they may come across.

Some of the PL Kicks groups have also been taking part in special tournaments to recognise the annual event. Our Saxton Gardens Kicks group played at Doncaster Roves earlier in the month, with those taking part selected from various young people who had been welcoming and inclusive to all new members at sessions.

If you would like any further information around the work being done through the Premier League Kicks programme, please contact [email protected].