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Level Playing Field Enews - July 2012
www.levelplayingfield.org.uk

Welcome to the Level Playing Field July Newsletter!

To join Level Playing Field contact us at: info@levelplayingfield.org.uk

LPF Board Meeting and Induction

LPF logoNew and returning Trustees have attended the latest board meeting of Level Playing Field, following their election at the AGM in the House of Lords in May. Rex Burton, Keith Graham, Kush Kanodia, Christine Peacock and Michael Rice were elected to the board of Trustees, and were joined by Alan Turvey who has been co-opted. They join the existing management trustees who were not up for re-election of Joyce Cook, Gary Deards, Janet Ireland and Tony Taylor. Joyce Cook OBE, Chair of the LPF, said she was “delighted” to see such a depth of experience and expertise available to the organisation.

 The Trustees first meeting included work on ‘Disability Awareness’, followed by reports on the range of projects in which Level Playing Field is involved, including ‘Match Buddies’ and ‘Working Together’. For more details on the breadth of our activities, you can view a copy of our annual report here.

LPF Project Updates

Working Together: Clubs and Disabled Fans

The Working Together Project sees Level Playing Field working with Clubs to set up Disabled Supporter Associations where one does not already exist.

A number of clubs have expressed an interest and are well on their way to getting a Disabled Supporter Association set up. Norwich City and Swansea City will be the first two DSA’s to officially launch in the next couple of months.

Level Playing Field has also met with fans at Chesterfield and will be back there later in the summer and are meeting with Wolves supporters next week.

Other clubs have expressed an interest in the project and Level Playing Field will be meeting with them in the next month to present the project.

If you are a supporter or a club where no DSA currently exists and would like to see one set up - or learn more about this - please contact Jackie Newing on jackie@levelplayingfield.org.uk or by phone on 07941 452278.

Match Buddies Schemes to Launch in the Midlands and the South West

Match Buddies is the LPF pilot scheme which takes a partnership approach to matching a disabled person with a volunteer ‘buddy’ who shares their passion for sport, for the purpose of simply enjoying the game, the socialising and the atmosphere together, just like anyone else. Match Buddies is funded by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) Fans' Fund.

We are pleased to report that Match Buddies schemes are launching next season at both Birmingham City and Exeter City. We are delighted to welcome the clubs as valuable partners in this important pilot scheme. We are now calling for both disabled fans and potential buddies interested in participating at either club. If you would like to know more, contact Miranda Walker by phone on 0789 1658 783 or Miranda@levelplayingfield.org.uk

Canterbury Match Buddies

We’re also delighted to announce that Level Playing Field is teaming up with Canterbury (the world’s most recognised rugby brand and official kit supplier to Sale Sharks), Sale Sharks and Salford City Stadium to launch Canterbury Match Buddies, an exciting new initiative for rugby. Canterbury Match Buddies is recruiting both disabled rugby fans and potential buddies for the new season – please contact Miranda on 0789 1658 783 or Miranda@levelplayingfield.org.uk to find out more.

Level Playing Field Access Audits

The LPF access audit programme is going from strength to strength with a number of new audits being undertaken or in the pipeline. We now have full details of the programme and the importance of carrying out a full audit on our website. You can check that out here  If you want to discuss the audits or process in more detail, please get in touch with us.

London 2012

Meanwhile, the starting gun is well and truly at the ready for London 2012, with the Games starting on the 27th July, followed by the Paralympics on the 30th August. We have pulled together some useful resources on accessible transport and venues in London. These can be found here.

If you come across any other information that you think could be useful, do please get in touch with us – our contact details can be found at the bottom of this Newsletter. We would really like to hear from you as your views matter to us.

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius earns historic spot at London 2012 Olympics

Oscar Pistorius

South African runner Oscar Pistorius has made history by becoming the first ever disabled athlete to be selected to compete in the Olympic Games.

The 25-year-old, 'blade runner' has been picked in the 4x400m relay team - having been a member of the silver medal-winning relay squad at last year's world championships in Daegu - and also the individual 400m. Pistorius will also be appearing at the Paralympics at the end of August, defending the 100m, 200m and 400m titles he won in Beijing four years ago. For the full story please click here.

Hate Crime? Mate Crime? Stop Disability Hate Crime!

Stephen Brookes (MBE)Stephen Brookes MBE, of the Disability Hate Crime Network has produced a fascinating, but disconcerting article for Level Playing Field.

“Having friends, making new ones and maintaining the ones we have can be a difficult balancing act for anyone. But for disabled people this can be especially difficult” says Stephen. But, as in many walks of life, there are people who are not necessarily what they appear to. Fortunately, many of us have real, quality friends who are a source of support and, friendship.

Sadly, it seems that some disabled people have found themselves befriended by a fake mate and then bullied, harassed, robbed, beaten and abused by their “befriender”. In some cases, the end result has been even more catastrophic. Read Stephen Brookes’ article in full here.

It Takes Two to Quango

'Yes Minister' tv programme

Ok, well it’s not actually us who need the views (although we would really like to hear from you), but our friends at the Department of Transport.

The official line on it, which says that the “Government’s review of Non-Departmental Public Bodies in 2010, recommended that the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) be abolished as part of wider goals to increase accountability, reduce duplication of activity and improve transparency”. It could almost have come straight from the mouth of Sir Humphrey in the BBC Comedy series “Yes, Prime Minister”.

But in reality, the Department for Transport wants you to let them know one simple thing: where do they get sensible, informed and relevant facts from? (Er….disabled people, perhaps?)

DPTAC was set up as an independent body, with 11 members representing a wide cross section of disabled people with experience of key transport and pan-disability issues. The aims of DPTAC when it was set up was to ensure that disabled people have the same access to transport as anybody else – is that too much to ask?

You have until the 14th September 2012 to let the Department know your views on this important issue. You can get more information by going to the Department’s website

The importance of balanced, independent advice to government is essential – do give them your opinion!

Deaf Friendly Football Project

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) would like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone involved in the Deaf-Friendly Football Club project over the past 5 years. The Deaf-Friendly Football Club project aimed to support, develop and grow opportunities for deaf children and young people to participate in football. The project is now no longer funded by the Football Foundation, therefore the project will come within the NDCS ‘Me2 Sports, Arts & Leisure’ Project.

As part of the celebration of the success of the Deaf-Friendly Football Club project NDCS have created a short film. The film can now be viewed online at Deaf-Friendly Football Club project – A Celebration!

Disability Themed Blog

A disability themed blog can be followed at: http://multoo.wordpress.com/. The latest blog 'Lets change the Debate’ is a about disabled people being seen as a drain on resources emphasised by the ‘scrounger’ image portrayed by the media. The debate goes on to challenge these assumptions discussing money associated with disability and impairment. It discusses how disabled people contribute to the economy and community by keeping people employed to support them, by improving the skills of the community and by challenging the concept of ‘society’ to which we all belong.


New Clubs facilities or revised club facilities listed:

Alfreton Town FC
Ardley United FC
Fleetwood Town FC
Halifax Town AFC
Leicester City FC DSA have been working closely with the club to improve facilities for more information please click
here
 

Queen’s Birthday Honours

Level Playing Field would like to send their congratulations to Paul Elliot CBE and Lorraine Deschamps MBE on their awards in the Queen’s birthday honours.

Former England defender Paul Elliot has been awarded a CBE for services to equality and diversity in football. Football referee Lorraine Deschamps won the award for her services to sport and diversity.

News in Brief:

  • Campaign for transport companies with poor accessibility to lose contracts- for further information please click here
  • Bus protest brings fears over DLA cuts to heart of Westminster to read click here 
  • Transport for All Update- Manuel Boarding Ramps and Mobility scooters permitted on London buses for more information see here
  • Leeds Rhinos celebrate LGBT inclusion throughout their game at their home fixture against Widnes Vikings on the 10th August, for further information click here
  • Heathrow wheelchair ordeal raises London 2012 questions- A leading activist has accused airline staff of ignoring the needs of disabled passengers at Heathrow, just weeks before London 2012 for more information click here
  • A smartphone to help blind people goes on sale-The Georgie smartphone offers apps specially designed for blind and partially sighted people see here
  • Manchester FA Equality Working Group Opportunity – Representation from Disability Football- Would you like to make difference in Grassroots football in Manchester? For more information visit here 
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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Level Playing Field: The Meridian, 4 Copthall House, Station Square, Coventry, CV1 2FL
Helpline: 0845 230 6237 | Email: info@levelplayingfield.org.uk | Web: www.levelplayingfield.org.uk

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