West Ham United’s Foundation are set to host a morning of footballing activities for local refuges and asylum seekers, as part of Amnesty International’s Football Welcomes initiative.

For the second successive year, 12 Premier League clubs, including West Ham United, will celebrate the contributions made to football by players of a refugee background by participating in the Amnesty International-led programme, which seeks to create more opportunities for footballers from a refugee background to become involved in the game.

The Hammers will welcome refugees and asylum seekers from the local area to the Foundation’s state-of-the-art facilities in Beckton on Saturday, where they will be invited to take part in a morning of football-related activities, with the aim of increasing participation in the sport.

The scheme has been backed by West Ham fan, actress, and Amnesty International activist Keira Knightley, who is thrilled the Club she supports has shown a commitment to promoting both integration and female involvement in football.

I’m over the over the moon that the Hammers are joining so many other clubs to say ‘Refugees Welcome’ this weekend Keira Knightley

“I’m over the over the moon that the Hammers are joining so many other clubs to say ‘Refugees Welcome’ this weekend," said Knightley. “It can be much more difficult for girls and women to access and participate in sport and this sends a clear and important message that football is for everyone.”

Football Welcomes is part of Amnesty International’s ‘I Welcome’ campaign, which works to provide a better international response to the global refugee crisis. Local communities are encouraged to work together to build a more welcoming environment for those forced to flee from conflict or persecution.

For more information about the campaign, follow the link here.