Level Playing Field meets with Morgan Parry

Level Playing Field was delighted to welcome Morgan Parry and his dad Stephen to our offices last week. Morgan is a young disabled Bolton Wanderers supporter, and attends Turton High School in Bolton. He attends all Bolton Wanderers matches, home and away, and is now a member of the Bolton Wanderers FC Disabled Supporters Working Group. Morgan was introduced to LPF Chair, Joyce Cook, OBE, Development Administrator Rachel Nickless and CAFE Projects and Fan Liaison Manager Mike Rice. Everyone enjoyed the meeting, sharing football stories and discussing the ongoing work of LPF and CAFE. To read more click here.

Nystagmus Network- Wobbly Wednesday

TV celebrity and Fulham supporter Richard Osman promoted ‘Wobbly Wednesday’ on Wednesday 6th November for the Nystagmus Network. Richard talks openly about his life long condition and how his mother was instrumental in making him believe he could do whatever he chose in life. To read the full article click here.

RFL Disability Access Audit Programme to Start

Gary Deards, LPF Vice Chair said 'LPF is delighted to be working with the RFL on this groundbreaking project and we are pleased to be presenting an LPF special recognition award to the RFL for being the first sport’s governing body to commission an access audit award of all their Championship Stadia.'

To commission an LPF access audit please see here.

Level Playing Field Round Up

Round Up links you to updates from the LPF office. This month we report on updates to our projects including ‘Working Together’, ASAAL conference and meetings attended with the Football League, Sports Ground Safety Authority and FA 150 celebratory events. For more detail see here.

After the 2012 Paralympics are disabled people invisible again?

In London in the summer of 2012 disabled people were suddenly in the spotlight during the Paralympics. But a year on, have they gone back to being invisible? For The Editors, a programme which sets out to ask challenging questions, Alison Holt Social Affairs Correspondent at BBC News, decided to find out. To read more click here.

Fans Comments:

Below are some new fans comments we have had in over the last few weeks since the last newsletter:

• Bradford City
• Cardiff City
• Colchester Utd
• Crystal Palace
• Gillingham
• Leyton Orient
• Northampton Town
• Peterborough Utd
• Rotherham Utd
• Scunthorpe Utd 
• Sheffield Utd
• Shrewsbury Town
• Stevenage
• Sunderland AFC 
• Swansea City
• Watford
• Wigan Athletic
• Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Yeovil Town

To leave your own comment on a stadium you have visited go to our website www.levelplayingfield.org.uk and select the club/venues tab and click on the relevant club. If you require any assistance or would like some more information please contact us via info@levelplayingfield.org.uk or on 01244 893584.

News in Brief:

• Open letter by Hannah Buchanan following Katie Hopkins recent outburs towards Dame Tanni Grey Thompson for more see here.

• Helen Grant replaces Hugh Robertson as sports minister see here

• Buckingham Palace invite for Bury FC fan who takes disabled fans to away games see here 

• Launch of AD Commentary For Blind and Partially Sighted Supporters at Leicester City see here 

• National Rail Enquiries Station Information see here 

• Leonard Cheshire Disability Make Care Fair campaign see here

• You and Yours Radio 4 Programme on Disabled Fans Facilities see here to listen to the programme 

• Yeovil Town Disabled Supporters Association on Sky Sports

• Plymouth Argyle Disabled Supporters Association enjoy successful AGM

• Wrexham Racecourse Hosted First Autism-Friendly Match for more detail see here

And finally don’t forget it is not too late to renew your LPF membership for this season, individual membership is only £5, further details can be found here. Details on DSA membership found here  and club membership here

Dates for your diaries: It's not too early to start planning for the LPF Weeks of Action. An opportunity to raise awareness and engage disabled supporters with their clubs. Next year the campaign runs from 15th to the 30th March but we recognise other dates may be more suitable. Remember to keep us updated and if you need more information please see here

 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.

You can email us at info@levelplayingfield.org.uk telephone us on 01244 893 584, or write to us at the following address:
LPF, c/o CAFE, Regus House, Herons Way, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QR.