Red Wall supports schemes in Portugal and Denmark through fan charity Gôl Cymru

Nation.Cymru staff

As the Wales football team prepares to kick off its Nations League campaign, the supporters charity Gôl Cymru! too has swung back into action. The generous fans will be supporting two causes – a street football scheme in Portugal and a family domestic abuse refuge in Denmark.

Gôl raises money for children’s charities every time Wales play an international match, home and away. Since the first visit to Azerbaijan in 2002, it has worked in more than 50 countries from Albania and China to the USA.

Associação Nacional de Futebol de Rua (ANFR) was founded in 2007 and is dedicated to social inclusion and community development through sport. It creates opportunities and new pathways for children, young people and at-risk populations. It runs various outreach and sports programmes across Portugal, notably the Bola P’ra Frente. Gôl will be visiting one of their projects in Lisbon before the big match donating €1000 to support their work.

Vanda Ramalho from ANFR said: “We know how important street football is in Wales and Portugal. This visit will allow the fans to see first-hand our work and demonstrates how sport transcends the white lines of the pitch, building lasting bridges of solidarity between entities from different parts of the world and diverse cultures, proving that everyone shares the same conviction in the transformative power of sport.”

Lisa Bandari, British Ambassador to Portugal said: “As Portugal and Wales meet on the pitch, it is wonderful to see this exchange extending beyond football. ANFR’s work shows the positive impact sport can have in people’s lives, and I am delighted that Welsh supporters are helping to support that mission during their visit to Lisbon.”

Four days later in Copenhagen, Gôl Cymru! will be returning to Kvindehjemmet, Denmark’s largest shelter for women and children who have suffered domestic abuse, previously visited by fans the last time Wales played in Denmark. This time, the charity are buying raincoats, trousers and shoes for the teenagers and children there.

Kamilla Lonberg from Kvindehjemmet said: “We’re really grateful that organisations like Gôl Cymru! exist and want to reach out to us. Thank you so much for your donation which will be much appreciated.”

Elin Thomas from Gôl Cymru! said: “Gôl Cymru! is really pleased to be able to help both of these charities. We have seen street football here in Wales bringing people together and we’re pleased to be able to help similar projects in Portugal. We visited the family refuge in Copenhagen the last time we played Denmark and it is great to hear that the work they are doing with women and children continues. We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the support of the Red Wall and we are once again grateful for their support of Gôl.”

More information on ANFR – https://www.futrua.org/
More information on Kvindehjemmet – https://kvindehjemmet.dk/

Find out more about Gôl Cymru! via www.gol.wales or www.gol.cymru

You can donate Gôl Cymru! here: www.Justgiving.com/gol

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