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How Arsenal help Syrian refugee children

The Arsenal Foundation has been working with its global charity partner, Save the Children, to help Syrian refugee children since 2012 and has contributed nearly £400,000 to help these vulnerable young people.

On Saturday at Arsenal's match against Stoke City, the club donated £1 from every match ticket sold to support the organisation's Child Refugee Crisis Appeal.

Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, said: “Football has an incredible ability to bring people together. In the face of the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War it’s nothing short of amazing to see fans and clubs coming together to stand in solidarity with people, many of them children, desperately fleeing horror in warzones like Syria.

"I’m proud that Arsenal is leading the way in showing that Britain cares. The children escaping across the Mediterranean could be our own. They share the hopes and dreams that many of the young people standing the Emirates have. We need to do whatever it takes to fight for their potential and make sure their lives are as valued as those of the sons and daughters in the stands and cheering on their team on TV.”

Saturday's initiative supplements a variety of work the Foundation has undertaken to date with Save the Children which supports Syrian refugee children. In 2013, £120,000 was raised at the annual Arsenal Foundation Ball for education in emergencies for temporary learning spaces for these vulnerable young people.

Earlier the same year, Arsenal Foundation ambassador, Martin Keown, opened a new Save the Children football pitch for Syrian children in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan.

The Arsenal legend spent two days visiting the camp to highlight the critical work being carried out on the ground by Save the Children, which is one of the largest organisations working in the camp, providing vital support for Syrian children and families that have crossed into Jordan to escape the Syrian civil war.

In 2014, £146,000 was raised through a dedicated auction lot at The Arsenal Foundation Ball to build child-friendly spaces in response to the Syria crisis. This was followed up by an innovative pilot scheme to develop two football pitches in the Iraq refugee camps, which saw a donation of £118,000 to bring this project to life. It will be completed by the end of 2015.

In September, thanks to Arsenal's official kit partner, PUMA, 100 boxes of Arsenal kit arrived at the camp where our pitches are currently being built.

Supporters can donate here. To donate £5 to Save the Children’s Child Refugee Crisis Appeal, text HOPE to 70008 (*terms and conditions apply)

*You’ll be billed £5 plus standard rate text message. Save the Children receive at least £4.95 depending on your network. Include NOINFO to stop further communications.

Any queries, call: 020 7012 6400

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