Cambridge United has reached out to a number of people within the local community during the pandemic, working hard to embrace inclusion and diversity at the club over a period when feelings of isolation can so easily set in. The pandemic taught a lot of football clubs to do more to look out for their community and neighbours, and the U’s have acted on this attitude by again reaching out to the city’s Muslim community at the Cambridge Central Mosque on Mill Road.

During the lockdown months of this summer, Cambridge United’s club photographer Ben Phillips established a creative photography project called “Your City, Your Shirt”, which aimed to highlight the current diversity amongst the club’s fanbase by capturing as many supporters as possible from all backgrounds and ages proudly wearing the Cambridge colours. This initiative celebrated the city’s multiculturalism, positioning Cambridge United at the heart of the city. It also provided a welcoming platform for the local community to enjoyably come together following the gloom of the past eighteen months.

Cambridge Fans United, the club’s supporters trust, has worked particularly hard to nurture a relationship with the local Muslim community and Cambridge Central Mosque. At the start of this year’s Ramadan, members of the football club made their first initial visit to the place of worship to provide provisions for those undertaking the practice of fasting. The project was supported by Fans for Diversity and Kick It Out, English football’s equality and inclusion organisation.

Shahida Rahman, a trustee at the Cambridge Central Mosque, commented in April: “we’re delighted to welcome everyone involved in the project celebrating diversity in football.” She added: “We hope to continue and expand our relationship with Cambridge United Football Club and our local community with projects that will benefit the youth, both boys and girls, in the future.”

In light of the earlier, well-received visit, Cambridge United built on this relationship by taking the League Two runners-up trophy to the mosque last month (17/08). After the U’s won their first promotion to League One in nineteen years, the visit allowed members of the mosque to join in with the excitement and celebrations that took hold of the city.

United’s Community Trust, the club’s charitable arm that delivers a number of activity sessions and educational classes to the local community, was also in attendance. The group explained how they could offer support and help to encourage people in the Muslim community to participate in such sessions, hoping to develop a communal sense of shared experience by giving participants an opportunity to interact with people from various backgrounds.

The next step in the partnership is to invite dignitaries from the mosque and local Muslims to an open day at the Abbey Stadium, as well as to watch the side on a matchday. The club’s close work with the Cambridge Central Mosque highlights its proud status as a friendly, family-oriented football club, welcoming every religion and background into the United fold.