Welcome to the Level Playing Field September Newsletter!

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

LPF attend NRAC Conference

                   
We were delighted to attend the AGM & Annual Conference of the Access Association which took place in New Brighton, Wirral on Tuesday 25th September.

The Conference was organised to highlight the 'Legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 and the Future of Accessible Sport in Great Britain'.

Members of the Access Association of Great Britain travelled from all over the UK to be present.

The Key-Note speaker at the event was Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE who gave a presentation about the 2012 Games and the future of accessible sport in the UK.

Other Key Speakers included Joyce Cook OBE, LPF Chair and CAFE Managing Director, and Neil Smith, member of NRAC and the British Standards Institution.

The speakers were joined by other experts including Gary Deards, LPF Vice Chair; Peter Swordy, Senior Operations Manager and Head of Centre of Excellence at Wembley National Stadium; Rob Young, North West Coordinator for the 2012 Games and Iain McKinnon from the London Legacy Development Corporation for a Q and A session from the floor.

An interesting range of access and inclusion topics on sports and access auditing were discussed by the delegates and panel of experts that included several key aspects that should be considered by service providers when commissioning an access audit for a sporting venue. These included the importance of maintaining good practice audit standards by; ensuring that auditors commissioned are peer reviewed and carry all relevant indemnity insurance (such as NRAC auditors); ensuring that audits are conducted with specific reference to building regulations, existing good practice accessible stadia guidance and equality legislation and finally by ensuring that an access audit includes a matchday or live event audit as stadia and other sports venues are often quite different during operation in terms of access and meeting the requirements of disabled spectators and visitors.

For more information on access audits or if you would like to discuss LPF access audits please see here or phone 01244 893 584 or 0845 230 6237.

2012/13 Membership Renewal Reminder

The new membership year is under way and we know that you will want to continue to support the work of LPF by renewing your membership or by joining us. This enables us to continue to provide advice and guidance to our wide-ranging membership which includes professional clubs, equality and disability NGOs and governing bodies alongside disabled supporter groups, their advocates and individual members across all sports.

For more information about becoming a member, and to apply click here.

BY POST: send your forms to: Level Playing Field, c/o CAFE, Regus House, Herons Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QR or mail the form to info@levelplayingfield.org.uk.

ONLINE: you can also pay your membership fee online with a credit or debit card via www.justgiving.com/levelplayingfield/donate/. If choosing this option please ensure that you let us know your name and that the donation is your membership fee in the online comments box and follow this up with an email confirmation to info@levelplayingfield.org.uk. If returning the form by post please make cheques payable to Level Playing Field.

Kush Kanodia describes his Paralympic Torch Experience

LPF Trustee, Kush Kanodia, was selected to carry the Paralympic Torch. Kush told us: “It's a wonderful honour to carry the Paralympic Torch and is a great privilege to be in a team with such accomplished and extraordinary individuals. It's also rewarding to know that tireless dedication to Disability Rights can be recognised.

I was born in London and to have this honour in London 2012 is truly special. To carry the Paralympic torch is even a greater honour to me than for the Olympics, as Paralympic athletes have the added challenge of competing with a disability. Hopefully this will now stem the rise in disability hate crime, as we as a nation honour our new Great British Paralympic Heroes, who have now even surpassed our London 2012 Olympic Champions!

Hopefully we can now begin to fulfil our legacy and Inspire a Generation and keep our Spirit In Motion...”.

Well done to Kush!

A Level Playing Field – Access for All

Speaking of London 2012 you may be intested to read the LPF Chair's recent blog on the Department for Culture,Media and Sport website here.  

LPF Ambassador Danny Mills Launches Kick it Out ‘Raise the Game’

Not content with ‘cooking it’, LPF Ambassador (and Celebrity Master Chef contestant) Danny Mills, is now ‘kicking it’ – this time kick starting Kick It Out's ‘Raise Your Game’ series.

The series began in Leeds as football hopefuls from across West Yorkshire gained an insight into the employment opportunities available to them within the game.

Elland Road provided the setting for a day of one to one mentoring sessions and a coaching masterclass by Danny who was, of course a former Leeds and England player.

‘Raise Your Game’ will help aspiring individuals from all backgrounds, ages and communities seek gainful employment into the football industry, and forms part of Kick It Out’s Mentoring and Leadership project funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

“The ‘Raise Your Game’ events are an incredibly helpful resource for anybody looking to get into football in whatever capacity,” said Danny, a UEFA ‘B’ Licence badge holder who emphasised the importance of gaining the necessary qualifications whilst delivering his three mini sessions focusing on defending, passing and finishing. “Experience in any walk of life is key and it’s important to listen to people who have been in and around the top, seen it, been there and done it.”

LPF Vice President Andrew Shaw sponsors Altrincham FC match commentary on behalf of 'LPF'

Radio Robins Altrincham FC radio broadcasted live coverage of the recent FA Cup match between Shildon and Altrincham.

The broadcast was sponsored by Andrew Shaw, Altrincham FC Vice Chair and LPF Vice President. The match commentators were Ian Wilkinson and Brian Flynn, with match summaries from Tim Ainsworth. You can listen to Radio Robins on www.radiorobins.com.

 News in Brief:

Celebrity Masterchef & Charity Fundraiser for Danny Mills LPF Ambassador for more information and to sponsor Danny click here.

One Game One Community Match at Exeter City v's Chesterfield 20th October 2012 for more information visit here.

Chester FC win Cable & Wireless Worldwide Foundation Grant: Chester FC have been successful in obtaining a grant that will enable them to run a live commentary service for blind and partially supporters for more information see here.

Check out LPF’s job page for coaching course opportunities for LGB&T people.

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 01244 893 584 or 0845 230 6237, or write to us at the following address:
LPF, c/o CAFE, Regus House, Herons Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QR.
 

Our Sponsors:

Make a charity donation online to support Level Playing Field works. Every donation (small and large) is very much appreciated:

Level Playing Field: c/o CAFE, Regus House, Herons Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QR
Helpline: 01244 893 584 | 0845 230 6237

Email: info@levelplayingfield.org.uk | Web: www.levelplayingfield.org.uk. 

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