News
If the Cowfolk are doing it, this is where it’s at…
There’s nothing friendly about Israeli Apartheid
An open letter from the Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls Sports and Social Club
The Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls stand in solidarity with our fellow footballers at Khadamat Rafah FC in Gaza and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel in calling on the Argentinian and Uruguayan national football teams to cancel their match due to take place in Israel on 18th November.
The “friendly” between Argentina and Uruguay is planned to take place in Tel Aviv, part of a campaign by Israel to use championship teams and players to ‘sports-wash’ its regime of occupation, apartheid and oppression.
We call on players of both teams to stand in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle, to boycott the match and not travel to Israel.
Both our men’s and women’s football teams have visited the West Bank of Palestine. We have met footballers unable to follow their passion due to travel and other restrictions placed on them by the occupying military regime of Israel. We have witnessed the harassment, oppression and human rights abuses taking place with our own eyes.
In the words of Khadamat Rafah FC: do “not… allow the beautiful game to be used as cover for gross human rights violations”.
Signed: the members of Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls Sports and Social Club.
For more information and to sign a letter of support, see: https://bdsmovement.net/argentina-uruguay
To read the open letter from Khadamat Rafah FC, visit: https://bdsmovement.net/news/gaza-championship-football-team-urges-argentina-and-uruguay-national-teams-cancel-friendly
And for coverage of their cancelled match: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/football-final-cancelled-israel-denies-gaza-team-travel-permit-190925133252447.html
Bristol Community Kickabout
A monthly gathering of Cowfolk, their friends and families to build
community and get to know each other through an informal, non-competitive
football match. We would also like to to reach out to refugee and asylum
seeking groups to see if there would be an interest in getting to know each
other through football. Happening on the last Sunday of every month, meet
at the Netham Park Pavillion at 2pm. This is an inclusive setting where all
are welcome to play mixed football, but this is not obligatory. Please
bring some drinks and food to share for after the match, kid friendly.
The next gathering on Sunday, July 28th.
For the Facebookers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2259400407662705/
Cowgirls at ‘Art and Protest’ exhibition
The St Werburgs Arts Trail have invited the Cowgirls back again this year to do something in their Art & Protest Exhibition at the Wild Goose Space near the farm.
Last year Soooooz and Becs went and showed the film about our latest trip to Palestine and did a little Q&A. It was such a success they want us back!!
We are showing the film again, but if anyone else has a bright ideas about how we can entertain a crowd please chip in. It would also be great to have a few people come along and participate on the day.
Casual League pre-season tournament
To decide which division each team will be in! So mega important. Bridie is currently sorting out the 2 Cowgirls teams.
£111 raised for Help Refugees
Thanks to everyone who baked, ate and helped Tash sell ridiculously good cakes at the last Casual League. We raised £111 for Help Refugees. The money will make a real difference to small projects providing grassroots help for refugees stuck across Europe.
Yorkshire St Pauli AntiRa
Invite from Yorkshire St Pauli:
Saturday 15th June, 11am-4pm-ish, £5 per player for those who can afford it, free otherwise. Usual procedure and environment to previous YSP tournaments, except this year we will be encouraging all teams to field mixed gender teams.
Let us know if you can make it 🙂
Love and solidarity,
YSP
Womens footy training moving to Eastville Park for the summer
As of Thursday 23rd May. Same time, different place, more horse flies.
Cowgirls kickabout to protest the ‘hostile environment’
COWGIRLS FOOTY TRAINING IS CANCELLED THIS WEEK. INSTEAD…
We will be heading to College Green at 7pm and then Castle Park in our kits to have a kick about, wave banners and talk to people to show our opposition to the UK governments ‘hostile environment’ policy and the indefinite detention of asylum seekers.
This protest was planned in unity with our our friends Mount Pleasant Park FC in Sheffield, who contacted us after one of their members, Victor Mujakachi, was detained by the Home Office in Sheffield along with several other Zimbabweans. Victor is a prominent and active member of the community in Sheffield, including managing ASSIST’s night shelter for refused asylum-seekers, and also manages the ASSIST football team.
Victor Mujakachi
Mount Pleasant, with the support of These Walls Must Fall, are coordinating a number of football teams in the UK to stage similar kick abouts outside their nearest Home Office buildings on Thursday 16th.
Everyone is welcome to join us on Thursday. Please wear your Cowfolk shirts if possible. And if you are free tonight (Monday) there will be banner making at Soooooz’s place.
Read more and sign the petition to support Victors stay in the UK here.
And if you would like to educate yourself on the harm that detention centers cause check out These Walls Must Fall.
Neneh is a Cowgirl
So Neneh Cherry is a Cowgirl!!!!!
How did this happen?
Well it all started in a lush Sunday morning with the Ultra’s handing Mathern Casuals a 3-1 beating at Speedwell, then the obligatory drinks at HQ, which turned into a session (surprise).
Don’t know how it happened but a few intrepid Cowboys joined a crew of Cowgirls on a mission to SWX. Luckily the boys secured guest list, jumped the queue and got handed free drinks and tickets, cheers Agron!!!!
It’s all a bit blurry but we bounced around the place and when the show started headed for the balcony for prime viewing.
Then strangely my scarf found itself rolled up in my hand and….. Oh shit Nenah takes a direct hit and now Ms Cherry is adorned in a fabulous Cowfolk scarf which she wore for most of her set, which I am sure was very good.
I am sure Nenah holds dear all of our beliefs and is a more than worthy ambassador for the Cowfolk, probably more than the idiot that chucked his scarf at her.
Good news is that I got my scarf back, along with an epic hangover!!!!
So if you’re out and about and see famous people….throw things at them.
By Ian.
Palestinian running team fundraising for UK trip
Right to Movement Palestine, a team of Palestinian runners, are coming to Wales in June to take part in the Welsh Castles Relay.
Right to Movement Palestine was established in 2012 and take their name from Article 13 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, The Right to Freedom of Movement. RTM uses running as a tool to highlight the basic human right of freedom of movement and to empower women to be the future leaders and runners of Palestine. RTM has nine branches all over Palestine and a few international branches. We initiated the Palestine Marathon which takes place in Bethlehem each year and is listed by AIMS (Approved International Marathons and distance Races).
They are fundraising to to pay for race fees, accommodation and transport – donate here.
If anyone is keen to run with them, you can be put on the reserve list in case there are any visa dramas.
Also, if you know anyone who could lend them a minibus from 6th-9th June please get in touch: linda.jensen@ntlworld.com