Every Wednesday evening at Meadow Lane, women and girls from Nottingham’s South Asian community meet to play football, learn new skills, and spend time together. The sessions are open to all abilities, creating a welcoming space to enjoy the game and build friendships.
As part of South Asian Heritage Month, we’ve been highlighting the programme and the people who make it special. This year, some of our participants joined us on the Eye of the Magpie podcast to share their experiences — both on the pitch and in their personal journeys. To hear this episode, click HERE.
Asia and Samiah spoke about how the sessions have helped them grow in confidence, stay active, and feel part of a community. They also reflected on their heritage, family traditions, and the role sport plays in bringing people together.
We also spoke with Somshun, who shared her own story of growing up between cultures and why holding onto her heritage is so important.
“I was born in Bangladesh… but I came to this country when I was a baby, so I don’t remember anything about being there. My first real connection was in 1998, when I went back to visit at age 11 or 12. I only had one grandparent — my mum’s mum. It was surreal… you’re forced to have this relationship with her out of the blue. I’m not really sure who you are, you know what I mean?”
For Somshun, Eid has always been the most important celebration. Growing up, it meant visiting relatives, swapping samosa recipes, and turning it into a friendly competition of who could make the best ones. Now, she makes sure her children still celebrate with their cousins in Sheffield so those traditions continue.
Some values, she says, are non-negotiable:
“Not letting anyone leave your house hungry… that’s a big thing about our culture, and that’s something I’ve definitely kept on.”
Living in Nottingham, where the Bangladeshi community is small, can feel isolating at times.
“I feel like I’m holding on to my culture by a thread. If you visited me at home, you’d see me as Bangladeshi. At work? I’m British… I switch hats. It’s so refreshing to meet someone from my culture — you don’t have to explain, they just get it.”
Her hope is that her children grow up knowing and valuing where they come from.
“It’s very important for my children to understand their heritage… I don’t want them to grow up knowing nothing about where they come from.”
Alongside the podcast, we also filmed a short video with three more young participants. They talk about what the sessions mean to them, their favourite memories so far, and the skills they’ve learned.
The South Asian Women and Girls Football sessions continue to be a place where sport, community, and identity meet — a reminder that football is as much about belonging as it is about the game itself.
