Harehills ❤️ Love

Welcome to Day 7 of the 2025 Harehills Good News Advent Calendar!

We are back in Harehills Park today, but we aren’t talking about tennis courts or bowling greens. We are talking about the “beautiful game” and a beautiful moment of community solidarity that took place this summer.

On August 2nd, the park played host to a very special tournament: “Dreaming with Ayman.”

For ten years, Ayman, a young refugee from Sudan, has lived in the UK in a state of limbo. Before fleeing the conflict in his home region, he had completed three years of medical school, driven by a passion to help others. But upon arriving here, his qualifications weren’t recognised, and the cost of the necessary “Access to Medicine” course was a barrier that seemed insurmountable.

Harehills decided that a dream deferred shouldn’t be a dream denied.

Led by local resident Chijioke Ojukwu, the community organised a 12-team football tournament to raise the £3,000 Ayman needed to get back into education. The day was about more than just the scoreline; it was a festival of food, music, and friendship, proving that in East Leeds, neighbours show up for one another.

The event was a triumph. Not only did it raise the vital funds to get Ayman back on his path to becoming a doctor, but it also restored his hope. As Ayman told East Side Story on the day: “I’m very happy that people have come together… Now I see it’s possible because of the people here.”

In Harehills, we don’t just welcome new arrivals; we help them soar. Good luck, Doctor Ayman—we are all cheering for you!

Read the full story here:

East Side Story:(https://eastsidestory.co.uk/east-leeds-community-unite-to-help-refugee-become-doctor/)