Navigating Sanctuary Life is delighted to announce that the Celtic FC Foundation has confirmed it will allocate complimentary tickets for selected Celtic FC Men's and Women's home matches to participants taking part in our National Lottery-funded Togetherness Builds Wellbeing project.
The support has been confirmed by Janice O'Brien, Administrator at the Celtic FC Foundation, and represents an important opportunity for asylum seekers, refugees and ethnic minority community members to participate in activities that promote social inclusion, well-being, and a sense of belonging.
The Celtic FC Foundation is a registered Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation based at Celtic Park. Through its extensive community programmes, the Foundation works to improve lives by tackling poverty, promoting equality and creating opportunities for people facing disadvantage.
The allocation of match day tickets will form part of Togetherness Builds Wellbeing, a twelve-month community-led project supported by the national lottery community fund and delivered by Navigating Sanctuary Life from Ashgill Recreation Centre in Milton, Glasgow. The project is built on the belief that lasting wellbeing is developed through regular shared experiences rather than one-off interventions. By bringing ethnic minority communities, asylum seekers and refugees together through meaningful social activities, the project aims to reduce loneliness, strengthen friendships and build lasting community connections.
For many participants, attending a match at Celtic Park will be much more than watching football. It will provide an opportunity to experience one of Scotland's most iconic sporting venues, meet new people and feel part of the wider Glasgow community. Shared experiences such as these play an important role in building confidence, reducing isolation and supporting long-term integration.
Many of the people supported by Navigating Sanctuary Life have experienced displacement, financial hardship and social isolation. In recent weeks, concerns arising from anti-immigration protests in Glasgow have led some members of our community to avoid public spaces and withdraw from social activities. Opportunities to attend football matches together in a welcoming and inclusive environment provide an important way of rebuilding confidence and encouraging positive community participation.
The project also recognises the educational value of visiting Celtic Park. Learning about the club's history, heritage and longstanding commitment to serving local communities helps participants develop a greater understanding of Glasgow's sporting and cultural identity while strengthening their connection to the city they now call home.
Ivan Kakembo, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Navigating Sanctuary Life, said:
"We are sincerely grateful to the Celtic FC Foundation for supporting our Togetherness Builds Wellbeing project through the provision of complimentary match tickets. Football has an incredible ability to bring people together across different cultures and backgrounds. These opportunities will help our participants build friendships, reduce loneliness and feel more connected to the wider Glasgow community. We greatly appreciate the Foundation's generosity and commitment to supporting communities across Scotland."
Navigating Sanctuary Life looks forward to working with the Celtic FC Foundation throughout the project and with thanks to Celtic FC Foundation for investing in the well-being, inclusion and community participation of asylum seekers, refugees and ethnic minority communities in Glasgow.
