An international NHS football team that aims to build a more diverse community in west Cumbria continues to go from strength to strength.
It’s made up of more than 30 members of health care staff who have come to work for North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) from around the globe
Bita Ebrahim, a hygiene specialist at the West Cumberland Hospital, said: “The team started pre-covid in 2019. It was created with the aim of bringing people together, socialising, motivating and encouraging the community to join us with the aim of building a more diverse community in Cumbria.”
Team members come from around the world including Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana and Kenya. Occupations include: Doctors, physiotherapists, nurses, accountants, hygiene specialists, computer scientists and health care assistants.
Bita added: “We started off with about four to six members and now we have grown to more than 30 international nurses, healthcare workers and their families.
“The idea originated from Dr Abdullah Habeebu who was the coordinator until 2022, and assisted by Dr Moyoloye Iranlowo, who is now the co-ordinator.”
As well as creating inclusion and diversity, the team also gets to develop their physical fitness and mental health, creating a balance between work and home life.
The team plays with local teenagers and medical students and is currently playing 11-a-side.