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Level Playing Field

November 2014 E-Newsletter
 
 
 

Welcome to Level Playing Field

LPF is a registered Charity in England and Wales which acts as a campaigning and advisory organisation to its membership and other parties across all sports. www.levelplayingfield.org.uk

Celebrating the achievements of CAFE and LPF at their new London home

Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) and Level Playing Field (LPF) open new HQ in Wembley

A cast of sport's leading voices in governance, inclusion and anti-discrimination gathered at an office on Olympic Way yesterday to mark the opening of the new CAFE and LPF headquarters.

Both organisations campaign for better access for disabled sports fans domestically and in Europe, steered by CAFE Managing Director and LPF Chair Joyce Cook who was awarded an OBE for her efforts to the cause in 2012.

CAFE Chairman and LPF President David Bernstein CBE, the former Chairman of the FA, opened proceedings with special thanks to UEFA and his fellow honorary officers and trustees before handing over to Minister for Sport and Equalities, Helen Grant MP.


The Minister took the opportunity to mark the first five successful years of CAFE

The Minister took the opportunity to mark the first five successful years of CAFE along with the continuing progress of Level Playing Field and the importance of their works to further access for disabled sports fans in England and Wales:

“I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Joyce’s leadership, dedication and passion. She, David and the team have inspired many people to care for and contribute to what CAFE and Level Playing Field do. Clearly there is more to do, and sport and football need to look at ways to increase the funding to support this important work.”

The gathering included LPF Vice Presidents, Lords Faulkner and Rosser, Kick it Out Chair, Lord Herman Ouseley, FA Council and Inclusion and Advisory Board member, Paul Elliott CBE and a raft of UEFA, FA and sporting figureheads, all of whom were discussing how to assist CAFE and LPF in seeking inclusive access for disabled fans at sporting events.


UEFA’s Patrick Gasser made a special trip from Geneva to pledge his support:

“Ever since Level Playing Field came on to our attention in receiving the Brussels Fans Award in 2008, they have been on our radar.  UEFA and CAFE have published ‘Access for All’ in 2011, now available in 14 languages, which sets out our minimum standards and we are implementing a new UEFA club-licensing criterion from next season. This should see Access Liaison Officers at every Club and Association.” (UEFA’s flagship Finals and tournaments, with CAFE’s support are increasingly accessible with legacy projects running alongside to ensure access for all). “And I look forward to continuing to work together to push this agenda forward.”

The event also saw David Davies OBE inducted as a CAFE Trustee and Level Playing Field Vice President, but the final word went to Joyce Cook who used her platform to lay down the gauntlet to clubs and their governing bodies:

“We've ensured this is on the agenda across Europe and beyond. But are we truly committed to this topic?”

In praising UEFA, whom she said have helped make “…the seemingly impossible become the normal”, Cook cited a number of examples in mainland Europe where access had been improved and where the numbers of disabled fans attending live matches was very much on the up.

“We have to be bold, continually learn from our successes but also to take responsibility. It’s not just down to the clubs; the governing bodies have a real responsibility here too and there's no reason this topic shouldn't be afforded the same credence as other forms of discrimination and regulation.”

“Let’s be clear, when a disabled person is denied access… it is painful, it is discrimination and exclusion in its worst form. That tells us, as disabled people, that we are some how less important, less valued, less worthy. Is that what we really mean? Is that the reputation we wish for our sports, our clubs, each other? Or do we seek true inclusion. It is time to step up. Please, it’s time!”

For further information please contact Level Playing Field at info@levelplayingfield.org.uk and +44(0)20 8621 2403.


About Level Playing Field

Level Playing Field was formed in 1998 when disabled fans from several clubs came together to discuss common issues and challenges. The decision was taken to form the National Association of Disabled Supporters to represent disabled football fans with charity status granted in 2000. In 2008, the charity extended its charitable objectives to cover all sports and changed its working name to Level Playing Field.

LPF works with the sports governing bodies, clubs, equality and disability NGOs and government across England and Wales to help improve access to sporting venues and the live match experiences for all disabled spectators.

LPF is funded by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (Fans Fund) and the Football Association.

LPFs projects have been far reaching. More recent initiatives have included Match Buddies, a project created in Wigan to bring learning disabled and non-disabled fans together on match days and beyond the match experience.

LPF provided advice and guidance to London 2012 and is currently working with England 2015.

In 2012, LPF developed its Access Audit programme to deliver specialist professional access audits to clubs and sporting venues.  LPF is considered a specialist in this field and has conducted audits at many sporting venues. More recently, LPF was commissioned to audit the premier clubs of the FA Wales, all RFL Championship clubs and a number of ECB grounds.

www.levelplayingfield.org.uk

 


About CAFE

CAFE, a UK registered European wide charity, was created to further develop the works undertaken by Level Playing Field across the UEFA region. CAFE’s primary purpose is to achieve equal access to sports stadia and an inclusive match day experience for all by using the special influence of football.

Since its inception in 2009, with funding support provided by UEFA, CAFE has gained a worldwide reputation as the leading expert in its field and produced the joint UEFA and CAFE Good Practice Guide to creating an Accessible Stadium and Matchday Experience – Access for All in 2011. This document is now available in 14 languages.

To ensure a lasting legacy, CAFE is also working to help empower local disabled people to act as self-advocates and champions for change club and national levels.

Further, CAFE is using football’s momentum as a catalyst for wider social change by helping to raise awareness of disability and the importance of good access more widely throughout Europe.

CAFE works closely with UEFA to improve accessibility and inclusion at its tournaments and flagship Finals and offers support to UEFA’s member associations, clubs and all related stakeholders.

More recently, CAFE begun a collaboration with FIFA to provide accessible stadium and disability related advice and guidance for their flagship tournaments. This included a FWC 2014 project with CAFE introducing audio-descriptive commentary for blind fans attending sports stadiums in Brazil.

www.cafefootball.eu


 
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