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Capital may net permanent HQ for Homeless World Cup



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Published Date: 26 March 2008
A PERMANENT base for the Homeless World Cup could be created in Edinburgh, The Scotsman has learned.
Organisers of the fast-growing annual football tournament are scouring the capital for potential sites for a global headquarters for the event. Coaches and referees would be expected to flock from around the globe to be trained up at the planned "centre for excellence".

The first contest for teams of homeless people was held in 2003 in Austria. The most recent was staged in Copenhagen last year, attracting more than 500 players and 48 countries, and it was famously won by Scotland. The team was honoured with a reception hosted by Alex Salmond, the First Minister.

The proposed Edinburgh complex would also host training sessions and competitions for homeless groups and community workers from across Scotland. At least four "street soccer" pitches are envisaged.

Mel Young, the event's founder, said: "The project is at a very early stage, but I wouldn't think it would cost anything more than £1 million to deliver."





The full article contains 178 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 25 March 2008 11:54 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Homelessness
 
1

Samcafe,

Glasgow 26/03/2008 06:46:31
Why Edinburgh? Will the ladies wot lunch not have these homeless people 'moved on'
2

eric,

LOTHIAN 26/03/2008 07:35:51
ladies in edinburgh .haha behave
3

Erica from East Kilbride,

26/03/2008 07:41:57
Eric from "Lothian"? haha. behave.

'Mon the ladies.
4

IanW,

Ottobrunn 26/03/2008 08:26:38
Rather than spending large sums of money on a football complex and then having to maintain it why don't they use the funds to get the homeless into homes and jobs thus eradicating the problem?
5

Boy Wonder,

26/03/2008 09:10:52
If it was permanently based anywhere, it wouldn't be the Homeless World Cup, would it??
6

Logie Almond,

26/03/2008 10:21:40
Don't we have enough home grown beggars and con merchants on the street without importing them from all over the world?
7

John Blackley,

Florida 26/03/2008 15:46:55
Okay, I'm confused - not, in itself, an unusal state but this time I'm confused about the term 'homeless'.

So, these 'homeless' people - or someone associated with them - have enough organising skills to get up a football team and enough fundraising skills to afford international travel. Do I need to ask the obvious question?
8

johnsmith77,

Edinburgh 26/03/2008 18:27:53
I think it's good there is something to stop these people from committing crimes, abusing drugs and abusing alcohol
9

Street Socceroos Fan,

Sydney, Australia 28/03/2008 21:42:54
Re # 9 - John, homelessness ranges from the very acute where people are living on the streets to stages where people are in temporary but unstable accommodation. The organising and fundraising skills are those from a number of support teams who already assist homeless people, helping them find accommodation and jobs, and also providing them a support system.

The street soccer provides something different. Soccer is working as a team, communicating with others, scoring goals, having fun, routine training... Something these guys don't really get to do. And all of these things they experience with the soccer are so motivating that it affects their life. It's certainly a positive experience.

I help out as a volunteer purely with the soccer team in Sydney. It is a young team, but I can really see some positive things happening.

The other thing to generally remember is that homeless people aren't necessarily committing crimes, or abusing drugs and alcohol. Yes, you do get some of those types. But you also get a lot of people who have fallen between the cracks of society simply because they were disadvantaged in some way. Depression and mental illness, mental disability, people coming from abusive situations...


Chances are that you probably avoid the homeless person on the street when you see them. Have never talked to them... And I'm not talking about you in particular, but the general public here.

Standing on a street, people avoiding you as they approach. Some look, some look away. None of them talk to you... Think about how it feels.


I do urge you to support your local team, and even your local homeless people who aren't in the soccer.

 

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