The Well Society, a fan-owned organisation who are the majority shareholder of Scottish outfit Motherwell, graciously invited 25 asylum seekers to Fir Park as the Steelamn eased to a 4-1 victory over Livingston on Saturday, May 4.
It was an attempt to welcome them into Scottish culture and hopefully went a long way in helping them adjust during what must be an extremely difficult situation for them to be in.
Well Society welcomes 25 asylum seekers to Fir Park
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Who are the ‘Well Society'?
Inclusion is what @MotherwellFC is all about. On Saturday the Society was delighted to welcome a group of asylum seekers to the match.
Working with EK Integration Network, we hope we gave them a bright spot in an otherwise difficult situation.
Read more: https://t.co/p4xRXXWZu2 pic.twitter.com/ZOtx3piOba
— The Well Society (@TheWellSociety) May 7, 2024
In short, they are an organisation owned by supporters of Motherwell and are also the majority shareholders of the club, making the Steelmen the first fan-owned top-flight UK-based club.
They were established in 2011 and achieved their goal of fan ownership just five years later in 2016. Despite being owned by fans, the organisation has strict regulations in place and adheres to the ‘Rules of Association' and is governed by a board.
Anyone can become a member of the Society, and therefore, a part-owner of Motherwell, with membership prices starting from just £5 a month for adults.
Asylum seekers welcomed at Fir Park
After collaborating with the East Kilbride Integration Network, who aim to help asylum seekers integrate into the area and make new connections, the Well Society were able to invite a total of 25 men to Fir Park for their match against Livingston.
Giving his thoughts on the event, Well Society board member, Derek Watson said: “These men have had to flee their homes, leaving their families behind, thousands of miles away. They are effectively in limbo, worrying about what is happening back home.
“As part of our ongoing work to support the community, we wanted to give them an enjoyable day out at Fir Park. What struck me was that we were able to connect over a universal theme – football. I hope that coming along as our guests has given them a bright spot in an otherwise difficult situation.”
While Motherwell's Commercial Director, Suzanne Reid, added “Inclusion is what this Club and the community are about. Providing the opportunity for the group to come to a match and enjoy everything that goes with that was the least we could do.”
The power of sport
The power of sport and its ability to cause change within society when used correctly is well-documented and issues such as racism, while far from being solved, have progressed massively within football in recent years.
If more clubs can follow in the footsteps of Motherwell and provide similar events and programmes to help asylum seekers adjust to their new surroundings, thousands of lives all over the country will be far better for it.