Join us as we stand with Ukraine

Everyone at Arsenal stands in solidarity with the people affected by the crisis in Ukraine.

We believe that in times of immense difficulty, there is strength in unity. That’s why, after a suggestion from fans, we’re launching the Arsenal Ukraine Supporters’ Club and encouraging our fans from around the world to join in solidarity.

 

We’ve also been in discussions with our global charity partner, Save the Children, to better understand the heartbreaking situation and where support is most needed. We’ve all learnt that the conflict in Ukraine is forcing children and families into basements and bomb shelters to escape explosions. Many families are being forced to flee their homes and cross into nearby countries with minimal possessions. They need help with shelter, food, and the most basic human necessities.

 

As a club, we have donated to Save the Children’s DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, and we’re asking our supporters around the world to donate what they can when they join our newly formed Arsenal Ukraine Supporters’ Club.

 

You can sign up to Arsenal Ukraine Supporters’ Club here.

 

You can donate to Save the Children’s Ukraine appeal here.

 

As the conflict in Ukraine unfolds, Save the Children’s emergency response aims to reach 3.5 million vulnerable children and their families. They’re already supporting families arriving at the borders of Poland, Lithuania and Romania by:

 

    •    Providing urgent, life-saving aid including cash, food and water

    •    Setting up safe spaces where refugee children can play, learn and cope with grief and loss

    •    Supporting refugees at five reception centres in Romania

 

Funds raised will help their teams to keep supporting families by:

 

    •    Distributing essential supplies and winter kits of clothing and blankets as temperatures plunge below freezing 

    •    Providing cash and vouchers assistance to families to meet basic needs like food, rent and medicines

    •    Offering vital mental health and psychological support to children and their families 

    •    Providing access to safe, inclusive, quality education

 

The creation of Arsenal Ukraine Supporters’ Club and our collective donations to Save the Children follows the support we have already shown including Ukrainian flag armbands worn by our men’s and women’s captains during fixtures, lighting up Emirates Stadium blue and yellow, and a ‘moment of solidarity’ which was delivered during the men’s match v Watford and women’s match against Reading last week.

 

At our men’s home fixture against Leicester City on Sunday – our first men’s home game since the conflict in Ukraine began – we will also conduct a ‘moment of solidarity’ ahead of kick off.

 

So we ask our supporters around the world to unite with us in showing solidarity with people in Ukraine. Please make any donation you can to support the urgent needs of children and families there.

 

Thank you for your generosity.

 

Vinai Venkatesham

CEO, Arsenal Football Club

 

 

More on our partnership with Save the Children

 

Save the Children became The Arsenal Foundation’s first global charity partner in 2011, and since then the Foundation has raised more than £4.5 million, including generous donations from players and fans. 

 

Over 10 years, The Arsenal Foundation has supported Save the Children’s emergency work across the world including the Ebola outbreak, Philippines Typhoon, Nepal Earthquake, Syria Crisis, Child Refugee Crisis, East Africa Food Crisis and Japan Earthquake. This is in addition to supporting Save the Children’s education projects in China and Indonesia and building football pitches to support children’s spaces in Iraq and Indonesia.

 

Together we use the power of football to improve the lives of vulnerable children with a focus on refugees. In 2018 we co-created Coaching for Life, an ambitious programme harnessing 100 years of Save the Children's child protection expertise and 34 years’ of Arsenal in the Community's sports for development experience.

Coaching for Life supports children living through conflict to improve their physical and mental health, wellbeing and resilience. Through bespoke football coaching sessions, girls and boys tackle issues such as managing emotions, decision-making, self-esteem, gender equality and voicing opinions.

 

Since 2018, Coaching for Life has supported more than 2,230 Syrian refugee children living in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan – home to almost 80,000 people who have had to flee their homes in Syria due to the devastating conflict.