Level Playing Field Weeks of Action 2012
 The Weeks of Action are now in full swing. Several clubs have contacted us about how they are marking the campaign. Please remember it's not too late to get involved - we are delighted to hear of the good work clubs are doing for their disabled fans all year round.
Below are a selection of what some clubs are doing.
Arsenal FC are inviting a number of young disabled supporters to welcome both teams as they arrive in the stadium. There will also be an item in the programme featuring a lifelong disabled supporter who travels to every home game from her house in Lincolnshire.
Aston Villa FC are planning to show their support for the Weeks of Action at their re-arranged match against Bolton Wanderers. Their activities include: An AVTV piece which is currently available on the Aston Villa website which showcases some of the work carried out all year round and involves students from Langley School & Nigel Macrow.
A Pre-match event where the Disabled Supporters Association – AVIDS will conduct a flag parade. There will be a feature in the matchday programme which will include Aston Villa's support for LPF and an advert from AVIDS seeking new members. During half-time the annual special needs Villa Cup Final will take place on the pitch with Langley School playing Springfield House. Students from Wilson Stuart School will also be using the community box in Doug Ellis.
Blackpool FC are doing a tour around the club for a group of disabled supporters from a local SEN school. They will view the stadium, meet staff and show them all the accessible facilities and services the club offers. One similiar tour has already taken place in recent weeks and pictures can be viewed on the Community Trust website along with a statement of support for the Weeks of Action.
Bolton Wanderers FC are promoting the Weeks of Action at their game against Blackburn Rovers on 24th March. Look out for articles on their website and in the match day programme which will be raising awareness around the facilities they offer for disabled supporters.
Doncaster Rovers FC are focusing on a local organisation within Doncaster which works with families with disabled children - Aiming High. Space was given in the match day programme against Derby County on 17th March to the organisation and the club used the article to highlight the facilities for their disabled supporters at the stadium including a feature on the Soccer Sight match commentary service for blind and partially sighted fans.
Exeter City FC's Disabled Supporters Association fully supports the 'Level Playing Field' campaign and to show their support they sponsored a child to become a match day mascot at the Preston North End match on Saturday 17th March. Yazeed is 14 years old, is autistic, and attends Dawlish School. Attending the match with Yazeed was his father Khalid and two younger brothers, Ebaraheem and Abdulaziz. Nick Saunders, ECDSA Chair, will also be doing a presentation at the next Grecian Group Forum (forum, whereby supporters groups get together to inform each other of what is happening at each group) at Exeter City later this month in support of the LPF campaign and to highlight what ECDSA does and to show groups what Exeter City F.C offers for disabled fans. To find out more about the DSA please click on this link: https://sites.google.com/site/ecfcdsa/
MK Dons FC will be hosting their events on the 21st April when they are playing Sheffield United. There will be activities taking place before the game around the stadium. A group of disabled fans will be forming the guard of honour when the teams come out and there will be a half time parade around the pitch by 200 plus disabled supporters which will also include Sheffield United fans.
Northampton Town FC hosted a Disability Football Day on the 10th March at their match against Aldershot Town FC. Events at the game included a pre-match disability tournament on the Sixfields training pitch for regional disability teams, while at half-time there will be a lap of honour from some of the disability players, and an adult disability team will have a penalty shoot out on the pitch. This event was orgainised by the Club's Community Scheme in partnership with Northamptonshire County FA and Northampton Town Multi Disability Club.
Sheffield United FC showed their support for the Weeks of Action on 17th March at their game against Tranmere Rovers. A number of local communnity groups were invited to the match. There was also a presentation made to Janet Ireland of SUDS and LPF fame. Janet was recently nominated for an award for the work she has done over many years to support the disabled fans of Sheffield United. The club carried a article in their matchday programme praising Janet for her hard work and offering their support for the campaign.
Swansea City FC are linking up with Level Playing Field to host a meeting with their fans on 23rd March at the club to discuss the creation of a Disabled Supporters Association. The recent match against Manchester City was also reported on the BBC website by Chris Bevan who attended the match with his cousin David who is blind. To read the article click on the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17343543
Tottenham Hotspur FC are planning a number of things at their match on 9th April against Norwich City, which is hoped to include an article in the match day programme, a web story in the run up to the match, a disabled fan being the mascot on the day and hopefully a video on the big screens.
Wigan Athletic FC promoted all of their disability projects in the game against West Brom on the 17th March. This included write ups in the programme along with some half time activities on the pitch.
Statements of support continue to come in
Key figures from across the sector continue to add their support to the Weeks of Action campaign.
Ruth Shaw, CEO of the Sports Ground Safety Authority, said, 'Everyone should be able to support their team in safety, security and in comfort, and between 10th-25th March clubs around the country have the opportunity to highlight what they are doing for disabled supporters, and to showcase best practice. Level Playing Field plays a critical role in enabling more disabled people to attend live football and other sporting events, and the weeks of action are an excellent way for clubs to support that, share good practice and raise awareness.”
Sarah Williams, Equality and Diversity Manager of the Rugby Football League, said, 'The RFL are delighted to support the Level Playing Field Weeks of Action, it is vital for the future of all sporting organisations and clubs to ensure that their polices, facilities and services are accessible to disabled people. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Level Playing Field for the invaluable advice and support you have provided Rugby League in our efforts to improve the match day experience for our disabled supporters. We wish you continued success over these two weeks and for the future'.
Andrea Brown, Customer Services Manager of the Football League, said, 'The Football League fully supports the Level Playing Field weeks of action and we are committed to continuing a positive relationship with the organisation as we continue to work together to improve the customer service experience of all disabled supporters'
Hayley Jarvis, Inclusive Activities Manager of the National Deaf Children's Society, said, “The National Deaf Children’s Society wishes Level Playing Field a successful two weeks. We have worked closely with LPF on Disability Awareness projects at football clubs in recent years and have seen first-hand what a positive impact this work has had on the children, young people and clubs involved. The Level Playing Field weeks of action reminds everyone that football should be accessible to everyone”.
To read further statements of support for the Weeks of Action please visit http://www.levelplayingfield.org.uk/news/Statements-of-Support-for-Weeks-of-Action.aspx.
To find out more about the Weeks of Action, who is supporting them or what could be done to mark the campaign, please visit www.levelplayingfield.org.uk, call 0845 230 6237 or email info@levelplayingfield.org.uk.
And finally, keep in touch
LPF takes your views very seriously and we can and will contact clubs and organisers to make sure that where there are problems, these can be resolved - where things have gone well, we'd also like to give the appropriate words of praise as well. Your views, more than any, are so important to us.
There are a number of ways that you can get in touch with us and you can be assured that if you want us to treat something in confidence, we will respect that.
You can email us at info@levelplayingfield.org.uk, telephone us on 0845 230 6237, or write to us at the following address:
LPF, The Meridian, 4 Copthall House, Station Square, Coventry, CV1 2FL.
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