On Monday 19th November, Barnet FC Community Trust was invited along to Harrow School to attend a football tournament designed to promote community cohesion in Harrow.

The event is a partnership between Harrow School and the Mothers Against Gangs group which was formed earlier this year by mothers from Harrow’s Somali community to combat gang culture and crime.

The tournament comprised of mixed teams from local Afghan, Somali and Pakistani youth groups playing with and against boys from Harrow School on the school pitches.

Medals, trophies, Football Association goodie bags, and Barnet FC complimentary match tickets were awarded to the players on the day by the Chairman of the Football Association David Bernstein, Sky News Presenter Gillian Joseph, the Patron of the Mothers Against Gangs Project, former England international Brendon Batson MBE, and Harrow School Head Master Jim Hawkins.

Barnet FC Community Trust Manager Birtug Kazim said: “It’s truly inspirational that the mothers in the heart of our communities have taken such positive steps to work with the Metropolitan Police, and to tackle the pertinent gang culture that exists in society today. Barnet FC and the Trust are very supportive of such initiatives, and we will be working with our partners to help continue to build safer and stronger communities”.    

Harrow Borough Commander Chief Supt Dal Babu said: "This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the excellent work of the Mothers Against Gangs project.  We are grateful to Harrow School and honoured that David Bernstein, Gillian Joseph and Brendon Batson attended in person to see a celebration of community cohesion and sport in Harrow."