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Bambo Diaby said he was excited to lend a hand to Preston North End Community and Education Trust’s [PNECET] Ramadan project last week, after he spent time handing out food and water to members of the local Muslim community for the EFL Week of Action.

PNECET is delivering a month-long Ramadan initiative, throughout April, in partnership with Preston United Youth Development Programme and the Community Gateway Association to support those fasting in Fishwick, Frenchwood and Deepdale with the free provision of fresh dates, water and biryani meals.

The initiative kickstarted on April 4, the start of the EFL Week of Action, in a memorable way – as PNE defender Bambo Diaby volunteered his time to support the initiative in the presence of the Sky Sports and EFL cameras. The EFL Week of Action took place throughout last week, highlighting the impact of EFL clubs in their communities, including the work of Preston North End with its Ramadan project.

As a practising Muslim himself, Diaby spoke of his pride at being involved with the community work and engaging the local Muslim community. He said: “This evening, we gave some food and water to our Muslim brothers and sisters in the street around Preston. I’m very excited to do that for my community, for Islamic people, because when you see their faces, they don’t expect that.

“You stop them and tell them that this is for Ramadan and everyone smiles because Islam is peace and when you see the people doing that, it doesn’t matter if they are Muslim or not Muslim.

“It’s a big step for everyone, it’s a big step for Preston as well and for me, especially because I am Muslim and I know how the Muslims are feeling now in Ramadan and [we want] to do many more things like this.”

The work of the club and the Trust in engaging with ethnically diverse communities is something that Diaby considers ‘special’.

He added: “It’s very big and special. It’s important because I feel them and when I see what the club is doing, it makes me happy and when they give me the chance to do it, I say, ‘Yes,’ so fast because I want to help the club to understand us Muslims and to try to help my Muslim brothers as well.”

Diaby also offered his time on the evening to open the new multi-faith prayer room on the Sir Tom Finney stand, with its doors being unfurled ahead of the Blackpool fixture.

11/04/2022