We recently supported both Fairbank United and BEAP Community Centre in creating playing opportunities during Ramadan for the Muslim communities within the county.

With the Muslim community fasting during daylight hours for the month, existing playing opportunities prove difficult without taking on energy and hydration during the day.

It’s important to take into account these considerations when providing playing opportunities to allow equal access to all members of our community.

Both projects allowed players to observe the fast during those daylight hours, break the fast after dawn, followed by evening prayers and rest before getting their football fix at a time a little later than usual.

The project ran by Akif Waseem at Fairbank United, created a small-sided tournament that ran through the Holy month at Speedball in Bradford.

Numbers participating exceeded initial expectations, showing the great demand and the importance to cater for all members of the football community.

As a part of the project, participants were asked to contribute towards a chosen charity, raising money for disadvantaged communities in Afghanistan.

Shummel Uddin at BEAP Community Centre in Bradford, hosted a one-off tournament at Frame 2 in Bradford.

Teams came together to play in a small-sided competition and celebrate to celebrate Ramadan towards the end of the month.

Players taking part here contributed towards the chosen charity, raising funds to build a new Iqra Masjid in Bradford.

The two offers highlighted the need and importance to take into account those considerations in order to reflect the community that we serve with an appropriate footballing offer.

“It’s great to see the football family adapting and creating an appropriate option to play throughout Ramadan.

Both projects were really successful and that’s testament to the work that Shummel and Akif do within their clubs and wider community."

If you want to know more or are interested in creating opportunities within your community, please get in touch info@westridingfa.com or call 01132 821222.