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Level Playing Field Round Up September 2013

Round Up links you to updates from the LPF office.  This month we report on a number of meetings we’ve attended.

Level Playing Field was invited to both Bristol Rovers and Bristol City to meet with their respective Design Teams and talk about their planned stadium improvements. Considering access for disabled people at the very start of the project will help deliver an inclusive environment and save delays later in the process. Ruth Hopkins and Gary Deards were pleased to be consulted and wish both clubs every success.

Bristol City have also improved their facilities for wheelchair users in time for the start of this season. LPF wishes to congratulate the club its commitment to improving its facilities and services for disabled fans. Please see here for more information. 

Kick It Out launched three new Guidance Groups in July. The three groups will be tasked with scoping out new areas and opportunities for the campaign, and eliciting and sharing best practice on how Kick It Out can deal with discrimination, in all its forms, across all levels of the game, as effectively as possible. Ruth Hopkins, Access & Development Manager, Level Playing Field will bring her skills and experience as an NRAC Access Auditor to the Professional Game Guidance Group.

Gary Deards, Vice Chair of LPF and Ruth Hopkins, Access & Development Manager met with the Football Stadium Improvement Fund (FSIF) Technical Advisors Team at the beginning of August to discuss our on-going involvement with all FSIF funded projects. Ensuring all stadium developments address accessibility issues is key to our objectives. Working closely with clubs at the design and build stages also gives us the opportunity to connect with key personnel who can implement any necessary improvements to policies and procedures relating to disabled people. More information on the FSIF can be found at http://www.fsif.co.uk/

Joyce Cook, OBE, Chair of LPF and Ruth Hopkins met with The Premier League to discuss a number of areas relating to disabled fans facilities at our top football clubs. The Premier League are particularly looking at facilities for Away Supporters this season.

Please send us details of your Away Day experiences – both good and bad – by email to info@levelplayingfied.org.uk  or by posting a comment on the web page under the respective club you visited at www.levelplayingfield.org.uk  

We are also happy to receive comments relating to Football League and Non- League Football and to other sports. We always feed comments back to the respective clubs and venues with constructive feedback often leading to further improvements. Your comments can be posted anonymously if preferred.  

Manchester City invited us to the Etihad Stadium to view the Stadium Expansion Plans exhibition. The exhibition is part of an on-going consultation period ahead of the club submitting a planning application to increase the capacity from around 47,500 to 54,000 (phase 1) and 60,000 (phases 1 and 2). More details can be found at http://mcfc.co.uk/News/Club-news/2013/July/Etihad-Stadium-future

Ruth Hopkins also visited Shrewsbury Town FC earlier this month to discuss setting up a Disabled Supporters Association under the “Working Together” project. The Greenhous Meadow Stadium is modern, spacious and inclusive. The Club are working hard to ensure disabled supporters – both Home and Away – have an enjoyable visit and the new DSA will help them reach out to local disabled people who may not be aware of the excellent facilities and may become new fans.