Saints Foundation supporting cultural diversity through SO14 Active programme

For Adam Ahmed, Saints Foundation’s SO14 Active programme is symbolic of a new life, of new opportunity.

Adam and teammate Emmanuel Ayul are refugees who escaped the civil war in Sudan, seeking safety in Southampton. Their smiling presence shines a light on the wide spectrum of participants the Foundation reach out to across the city.

The SO14 Active programme specifically supports one of the most culturally diverse communities in Southampton, at the heart of the club’s St Mary’s home.

This particular session, now held at Hoglands Park in collaboration with The Clear Project and SWVG, is purely aimed at refugees. Around 20-30 usually come along, with the majority having fled East Africa.

As the Premier League celebrates diversity across this weekend’s matches, it marks six months since Foundation Community Officer Shiraz Zawahir was nominated to be Saints’ No Room For Racism icon, having built relationships with SO14 Active participants through his coaching and mentoring.

For many of the refugees, these sessions are the highlight of their week. For some, it can be their first introduction to a war-free life.

David Warnes, SO14 Active Coordinator, said: “We might get some people who have been sent to Southampton in the first few weeks, and one of the first things they find out about is playing football, so I think it helps with that community cohesion and a sense of belonging.

“We’re lucky because we not only offer the football sessions, but beyond that we can offer clothes, which is a big win with all the surplus kit we have, tickets to games, and the chance to play in tournaments that can create memorable opportunities.”

Emmanuel arrived in England back in 2013. “It was a long journey to get here, but I really love Southampton city,” he says.

SO14 Active participant Emmanuel Ayul, a refugee from South Sudan, shakes hands

The Foundation also host open access sessions, for anyone and everyone to get involved. Many of the refugees love the programme so much they attend those too.

The SO14 Active programme takes a consortium approach working with Southampton City Council, the Hampshire FA, Energise Me, Southampton Voluntary Services, Solent NHS Trust and Solent University. This brings the club, its Foundation and key partners together at the heart of the community, helping to open doors and break down traditional barriers that have impacted community groups from engaging in activity.

Efforts are constantly being made to broaden the Foundation’s impact within the local area. St Mary’s Stadium hosted its first Iftar last year, welcoming Southampton’s Muslim community to break fast at sunset during Ramadan.

The event was a resounding success, attracting around 300 people, so the club hosted another one, its 2025 edition, last month.

“We didn’t want it to be tokenistic, but 43 per cent of our participants are Muslim, so there’s good reason for us to be doing it,” Warnes said, explaining why they limited the numbers to around 85 this year, helping to offer an even more engaging experience.

“We took learnings from last year, and this time around we wanted to have a more intimate occasion with smaller numbers. We invited close partners, close contacts and worked with Southampton City Council.

“It wasn’t just people of Muslim faith, there were other people who just wanted to learn more about it, so we provided an educational element around Ramadan and the Iftar process.

“By bringing together our diverse community partners, participants and staff we were able celebrate not only the holy month of Ramadan but also our shared commitment to fostering health, well-being and togetherness in Southampton.”

St Mary's Stadium recently hosted its second Iftar

Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Compliance and Leisure at Southampton City Council added: “It was an honour for Southampton City Council to join the Saints Foundation in hosting a memorable Ramadan Iftar at the stadium.

“The evening truly reflected the strength of diversity in Southampton, offering a valuable opportunity to learn about Ramadan and the positive impact of the Saints Foundation’s SO14 Active programme, which is making a real difference in our local inner-city communities.

“A special thank you to the Saints Foundation for their commitment towards inclusion and community spirit.”

Next in the Foundation’s sights are more female-focused projects. The club charity already supports an initiative helping local women to reclaim their streets with an organised evening walk, and plans are currently ongoing to hold football sessions.

The local area is a culturally diverse community and SO14 Active engages with groups from all faiths and backgrounds, targeting those most affected by low levels of activity or opportunity to get involved in sport.

The programme is funded by the Football Foundation, who work with the Premier League as part of a national approach to utilising the power and strength of football to support marginalised groups to get involved in activity.