Referees gear up for Homeless World Cup

THE Homeless World Cup Foundation today (7 July 2016) reveals that Crerar Hotels Trust is to generously support the referee programme at this year’s tournament.

The announcement was made as a group of this year’s referees met Scottish FA Grade 1 official Bobby Madden for a team talk at Glasgow City Chambers, in the eye of George Square, where the 3,500 capacity venue is now being built ahead of Sunday’s (10 July) opening ceremony.

A group of 27 referees will official in the four-a-side games – there’s 416 in total to be played – ensuring fair play, which is a central pillar of the Homeless World Cup.

Many will come from all over the world, often with direct experience of homelessness and social injustice. The generous funding from Crerar Hotels Trust allows them to come to Scotland and be a part of what organisers have promised will be, “the most inspiring tournament on the planet,” this July.

100,000 spectators are expected to visit the Homeless World Cup during the week-long festival.

Entry is free & no tickets are required, albeit it is expected at key times (particularly when Scotland play) it will be very busy so spectators should arrive in plenty of time for games they wish to see.

The Homeless World Cup arrives in Glasgow as part of a three way partnership between the Homeless World Cup Foundation, the Scottish Government (delivered via EventScotland), and Glasgow City Council (delivered via Glasgow Life).

Crerar Hotel Group was formed in 2005 and, uniquely, gifts half of all its distributable profits each year to good causes that have links to where Crerar Hotels are based. Crerar Hotels Trust has donated over £4m since its inception.

A “family of hotels & inns” throughout Scotland and Yorkshire, Crerar Hotel are recognised for quality delivered through a “Heart & Soul” approach to traditional hospitality, reflected in the groups newest hotel, GoGlasgow Urban Hotel on Paisley Road West.

In addition to Crerar Hotels the group also operates www.easybreaks.com a UK based hotel room sales agent marketing more than 400 independent and chain hotels.

Homeless World Cup founder and president Mel Young comments:

“We’re extremely grateful for the significant support that the Crerar Hotel Group and its charitable trust have agreed to provide the Homeless World Cup. Our referees are a vital component of the tournament, setting the tone for fair play. This is an area we required key financial support to ensure the widest selection of referees, many involved in life changing work within their own country, could be with us. Crerar Hotel Group’s approach in which they gift half of the company’s distributable profits to charity is remarkable and reflects exactly the values and ethos which define the Homeless World Cup.”