Nigeria stars Aina and Awoniyi lead the drive as Forest take Christmas to hospitals, children

Nigeria internationals Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi have stepped into the heart of Nottingham Forest’s Christmas outreach programme, using the festive period to give back to the local community, Soccernet.ng reports.

This is even as both players stars continue their recovery from injuries that ruled them out of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations squad.

The two Super Eagles stars were involved at different points in Forest’s wide-ranging ‘Home For Christmas’ campaign, a club-led initiative designed to support children, families and vulnerable groups across Nottingham during the festive season.

Aina has been sidelined since sustaining an injury while on international duty against South Africa in September, a setback that halted his momentum for club and country.

However, the former Chelsea full-back has stepped up his recovery and featured in a reserve fixture this week, placing him on course for a competitive return early in the new year.

Awoniyi, by contrast, remains further behind in his rehabilitation. The striker has made just four Premier League appearances this season, with a persistent knock keeping him out of Forest’s last five matches, including fixtures against Liverpool, Brighton, Wolves, Everton and Tottenham. Yet, despite their individual challenges, both players were central to Forest’s festive activities off the pitch.

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Nigeria’s Aina and Awoniyi: Giving back beyond football

More than 150 children and young adults attended two Christmas parties hosted at the City Ground, where festive games, food and meetings with Santa Claus were followed by surprise appearances from Forest players and staff.

Aina played a prominent role during a special Christmas press conference held for Warriors United, a club supporting children and young adults with learning disabilities. Acting as host, the Nigerian defender helped guide a lively Q&A alongside Santa Claus, Zach Abbott and Callum Hudson-Odoi, before joining the celebrations on the dancefloor.

Earlier in the day, over 100 children from four local schools were welcomed into the Robin Hood Suite, where Forest head coach Sean Dyche and several first-team players dropped in to answer questions and share festive moments.

Awoniyi’s contribution came a day earlier at Queen’s Medical Centre Children’s Hospital, where he joined Dyche and seven other first-team players on visits to children’s wards. The group delivered gifts and spent time with families facing the prospect of spending Christmas in hospital.

The visits form part of the wider ‘Home For Christmas’ campaign, spearheaded by owner Evangelos Marinakis, which focuses on tackling poverty, illness, homelessness and social isolation during the festive period.

With Christmas still in the air, Nottingham Forest will return to football action on Monday when the Tricky Trees trade tackles with Fulham at Craven Cottage. Aina and Awoniyi are unlikely to feature in that fixture as Forest look to climb above their current 16th position on the Premier League table.