Nottingham Forest Football Club is proud to announce a new international charity partnership with UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support relief efforts for people fleeing conflict and persecution around the world.
From the start of 2023 and for the remainder of the season, both the Nottingham Forest Men’s and Women’s teams will participate in all fixtures with the logo of UK for UNHCR on the front of their shirts, as a sign of solidarity for families who have been forced to flee their homes and communities.
The Club has also made a financial donation to support international relief efforts and will use all its available commercial and marketing channels to drive awareness of UNHCR’s humanitarian work, such as the delivery of emergency shelter, medical aid, water and sanitation when families are forced from their homes by conflict and persecution.
Supporting charitable causes has always been a key component of the Club and the Nottingham Forest Trust’s work, which already includes a range of programmes to support the Nottingham community in areas such as mental health, suicide prevention, tackling loneliness, fostering inclusive football and youth career support.
As a Premier League club with a growing global profile, Nottingham Forest now joins other international teams in supporting global human rights, selecting UK for UNHCR as its international charity partner. This follows a year that has seen the Nottingham community, like much of the UK, show solidarity and compassion for families fleeing the devastating war in Ukraine.
Announcing the new partnership, Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, said: “We are delighted that for the remainder of the season we will use the front of the famous Nottingham Forest shirt to tell such an important story. It will be an honour to display their name on our shirt in support of this important cause.
“I am proud to have partnered with the United Nations’ global work before, with Olympiacos FC back in 2013. We supported UNICEF for four years, choosing to make a significant financial contribution to their charitable work rather than taking income from a sponsor, and giving their cause prominence on the front, and then the back, of the Olympiacos shirt.
“I hope fans of Nottingham Forest will also be proud that we have chosen to highlight the work of UNHCR for the remainder of the season, in addition to the local causes our Community Trust supports. This comes at a time when the world faces enormous challenges in helping the most vulnerable people in society.”
Nottingham Forest Chairman, Nicholas Randall KC, added: “We are proud of our track record of using the power of Nottingham Forest and football as a force for good in our local community. Our ascension to the Premier League in the summer now offers us an invaluable opportunity to extend that on an international scale.
“We are therefore delighted to give UK for UNHCR the platform to raise awareness of its relief efforts for refugees on the front of our shirt. This feels even more pertinent than ever right now, with more than 100 million people currently displaced globally, almost half of them children, and such visibility on our shirt and channels will ensure this vital cause is seen by millions around the world every week.”
Charlotte Boyle, Chair of UK for UNHCR added: “From fighting racism and homophobia, to standing with refugees, football clubs around the world are using their power to confront discrimination and support people in need. We are hugely grateful to Nottingham Forest’s generosity and compassion in supporting refugees and UNHCR’s relief efforts around the world.
“Through this solidarity, Nottingham Forest is sending a powerful message to families fleeing conflict that they will not be forgotten.”
Nottingham Forest will mark the start of the partnership with UK for UNHCR at its opening Premier League home match of 2023 against Chelsea on Sunday January 1, with the Men’s team stepping out for the first time with the charity on the front of the shirt.
The Women’s team will sport our new shirt partner when the FA Women’s National League North season resumes in the new year.
Nottingham Forest joins FC Barcelona in becoming a supporter of refugees through UNHCR’s relief efforts.
The Spanish club announced a partnership with UNHCR in March this year to help fund relief for displaced communities in countries such as Colombia and Uganda, as well as other support such as sporting equipment.
Details of how supporters can get the UK for UNHCR logo applied to their shirts will be communicated in due course.
