Disabled sports fans joined club staff and other stakeholders for the Level Playing Field Midlands Forum at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday 6th February.
Around 50 guests were in attendance to discuss accessibility and inclusion, with focus on areas such as fan engagement, new guidance, and evolving perspectives on disability language.
Pride Park Stadium hosted the charity’s first Midlands Forum in 2018, and once again provided a setting for fans and professional in similar roles from across the region to network, as had been the case for their southern counterparts at the end of 2023.
Those in attendance included Derby County’s Supporter
Liaison and Disability Access Officer Emma Drury and representatives of the
Derby County Disabled Supporters’ Club.
Derby County's Disabled Access Guide, which includes key information, can be found here.
Level Playing Field's Chief Executive Officer, Owain Davies, said: “It was very pleasing to hear so many different perspectives on access and inclusion, from across the Midlands, at this forum.
“We are thankful to Derby County, for providing us with a venue to bring people together and have such important in-person discussions.
“Many different areas were covered, as our attendees explored different ways in which disabled fans, club staff and others could collaborate to improve matchday experiences.
“These forums are also continually increasing our knowledge of the disabled fans we serve, and we look forward to meeting with fans in other regions over the course of this year.”
Level Playing Field is a registered charity in England and Wales and acts as a campaigning and advisory organisation to its membership and other parties across all sports.
For more information on Level Playing Field, please visit: levelplayingfield.org.uk.
