Bangla Bantams raising funds to help disadvantaged fans enjoy Bradford City matches

A Bradford City supporters’ group is looking to raise £10,000 to enable deprived members of the community to watch the club’s games, reports thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. The Bangla Bantams is looking to raise the cash through crowdfunding to give people from across the Bradford district, specifically under-16s and their families, free tickets to a Bantams home match at Valley Parade this season. The scheme has been running at the club since 2015, but its organisers are now looking to expand it after initially giving tickets to residents of Manningham. The appeal total would be spent on travel expenses for its volunteers on matchdays, and transportation costs. It also aims to introduce more girls to the sport and the club and will be open to people from all faiths and cultures. The supporters’ club was set up in February last year with help from the Fans for Diversity campaign fund, which is jointly run by anti-racism group Kick It Out and the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF). The project promotes and encourages participation by the South Asian community in grassroots football in the district.

Help me raise £10000 to Bangla Bantams - to provide opportunities Please #donate on @justgiving and RT. Thanks! https://t.co/mViaGbHu4x

— BanglaBantams (@BanglaBantams) July 14, 2017

The scheme also aims to combat pre-conceived ideas of discrimination and promote inclusion and integration. Humayun Islam, Bangla Bantams chairman, said: “The project would provide opportunities to under-privileged children and their families who may not experience a matchday at Bradford City.

https://t.co/Yml5C1CGiD @AnwarU01 @kickitout @officialbantams @The_FSF— BanglaBantams (@BanglaBantams) July 18, 2017

“It is about integration and inclusion to watch a game. Football is one of the biggest things to get people together for. “We are also hoping to get more girls into football through the scheme. There are a lot of deprived children who don’t have that sense of family, so this would help with that. “The project will improve people’s wellbeing and also create more friends. “Bradford City itself has always been very supportive of the Bangla Bantams initiative.”

FSF associate members @BanglaBantams are raising funds to help more young fans from poorer families get to games: https://t.co/LgsCvHKH4f

— The FSF (@The_FSF) July 19, 2017

Bangla Bantams won the inaugural Fans for Diversity Award at the Football Supporters’ Federation Awards held in London in December. It beat competition from five other fans’ group from clubs including Derby County and Southampton. The FSF represents football fans in England and Wales. It campaigns across a number of issues and supports fan representation on clubs’ boards, lower ticket prices, and the introduction of safe standing areas at grounds in the top two tiers of English football.