A football tournament has raised over £1,500 to support various charitable causes across Cambridge – with the Karim Foundation chosen by the competition organisers to receive some of the proceeds.

The charity tournament organised by AlAnsaar, a Cambridge-based community group, saw eleven local seven-a-side football teams challenge for the 2023 AlAnsaar Cup last month on a thrilling day at the Bottisham Sports Centre.

Since 2017, the AlAnsaar Cup was set up initially to raise funds for mosques and other institutions in Cambridge. The tournament has grown in popularity within the Cambridge Muslim community and is now an occasion that many players look forward to.

“We were delighted to host the sixth edition of the AlAnsaar Cup,” AlAnsaar tournament co-organiser Sayful Alam said. “It has become one of our most popular events and we always get questions on when the next one is coming up! It’s a great opportunity to bring people together over a sport we all love, improve our fitness, and most importantly raise money for good causes that will hopefully benefit the Cambridge community.”

AlAnsaar announced on social media that they had raised an amazing total of £1,548.56 from the tournament, stating that all proceeds would be going towards local charitable projects this year – with the Karim Foundation chosen to receive a £100 donation.

“We wanted to donate to the Karim Foundation as they’re supporting many people who are struggling in Cambridge,” Sayful explained, who co-founded AlAnsaar in 2012. “I visited their stall at the Arbury Carnival last year and learned more about the great work they’re doing through social media, so we thought this was another organisation we could help.”

Fellow AlAnsaar co-founder Rahee Ahmed, a close friend of Sayful, was also a leading figure in organising this year’s competition.

“Every year, we’ve always identified which causes to support and how we can help,” Rahee said. “Our tournaments are one way in how we try to give back to the community, creating a platform that enables us to support local organisations such as the Karim Foundation – who are doing great work.”

Local resident Moin Uddin also came forward to volunteer for AlAnsaar and support the event.

“The tournament was very successful,” Moin said. “I really wanted to get involved so I could help AlAnsaar with raising funds for our local organisations and institutions. We initially pledged to raise £1,000 but ended up smashing our fundraising target, so we’re really pleased about that.”

Trustee Kal Karim added: “Many congratulations to AlAnsaar for delivering yet another successful tournament and a huge thank you for your wonderful contribution! It was a lovely surprise when we read your announcement on social media that you had chosen to support us. Your donation of £100 will make a real difference in helping families and individuals in our community who continue to struggle with buying food and paying their household bills.”

The organisations that will benefit from the fundraising efforts are:

• Abu Bakr Mosque
• AlAnsaar Events
• Cambridge Central Mosque
• Cambridge Islamic College
• Cambridge Muslim College
• Cambridge Quranic Classes
• Karim Foundation
• Masjid Al Ikhlas and Cambridge Islamic Centre
• Omar Faruque Mosque and Cultural Centre
• Shah Jalal Islamic Centre

Well done to all the teams for making this year’s tournament a great success and congratulations to BCB – the 2023 AlAnsaar Cup champions!

You can find out more about AlAnsaar on Facebook and Instagram.

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Photos courtesy of AlAnsaar

The Karim Foundation continues its efforts to provide food and fuel support for Cambridge families and individuals in financial hardship. Visit the Donate page to find out how you can help those in need today.