Standing for equality and social inclusion this October

Big Hearts is joining the #FootballPeople Weeks, 7th to 21st October, to promote equality and social inclusion in football.

Creating free opportunities to access essentials for a brighter future, regardless of background, is one of Big Hearts three strategic priorities towards 2024.

Since last summer we are proud to be delivering Welcome Through Football. To date, over 40 young people are receiving support from this pioneering initiative, the first delivered in Scotland, with funding from the European Football for Development Network and the Erasmus Plus programme of the European Union.

Big Hearts’ Welcome Through Football project, now in its second delivery phase, is aimed at young people from refugee, asylum seeking or migrant backgrounds. The football-based activities held at the Heart of Midlothian’s Stadium are using sport as a universal language to access education, make new friends and ensure the young people can build a thriving new life in Edinburgh.

As part of the #FootballPeople weeks, the largest campaign for social change and diversity in global football, Big Hearts is getting involved in various initiatives:
– Co-hosting the popular #SportHour on Twitter, showcasing the variety of people who are ‘Community Champions’ in sport.
– Running our first ever charity derby fundraiser with peers from our rival city Club, and projects participants playing on the pitch.
– Encouraging young people to get involved in ‘citizenship action’, with a group volunteering alongside Hearts fans on match days.

A big thank you to our supporters, volunteers and projects participants for their outstanding commitment this month!