The Bristol Zimbabwe Association - Celebrating the Zimbabwean community

For different reasons, Zimbabweans have found themselves coming to and starting a new life in the UK. We have encountered a number of challenges, which include:

• Lack of support from extended families and support networks
• Integration with the Bristol community and the cosmopolitan society
• Upholding of the Zimbabwean roots and values in a new environment

These challenges have necessitated the formation of the Bristol Zimbabwe Association (BZA).

The primary aim of BZA is to encourage support for creative initiatives by Zimbabweans on issues of peace and justice, poverty and equity, knowledge and understanding, in whatever sphere of influence it happens to be.

In order for us to achieve some of above mentioned aims, the BZA set up a football team which begun to practice in earnest from 5 May 2005 as a way of putting together members of our community who face social exclusion and isolation. Besides coming together as a Zimbabwean community, we have realised that through sport we can actively integrate with other communities eg Somali, Sudanese, Kurdish, Albanians and the locals. As an Association we’ve therefore put sport as one of the key avenues or ways that we can help our members link up with other communities as well as keeping their health safe.

BZF team participated at this five-aside tournament thanks to a £1000 grant from Quartet Foundation. Part of the grant was used to purchase our football kit, first aid kit and book ground for training sessions. Although we didn’t reach the final, our team was awarded a trophy for the most-disciplined team, which the Association is proud of.

“We’ve set an example to the whole of Bristol that we Zimbabweans are peace loving people,” said Forward Maisokwadzo, BZA Chairman after receiving the trophy on behalf his Association.

During this tournament the Association also managed to arrange for ITV news crew to come and cover the event of which the chairman talked about our activities and why the association thought setting up a football team.

For five-aside practice the team usually meet every Wednesday at St Paul’s Sports Academy for training. Besides having our weekly training sessions, we play against other teams from other teams based in Bristol or outside. Due to high fees to pay for training sessions the team also held its sessions at Eastville Park.

BZA football team played a leading role in organising the World Refugee Day Football tournament on 1 December 2005. We played tournaments organised by other groups as well.

Last month the team played 11-aside against a Southampton based team here in Bristol.

Training is an on-going activity and we are excited people are taking their time to come for training sessions. We’re building a strong team as well as links with other groups.