Blackburn Rovers is pleased to support the National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS) 2010 Level Playing Field (LPF) Weeks of Action. This disability awareness initiative over two weeks promotes the need for an inclusive and equal experience for all fans and brings together all clubs belonging to the professional leagues. Around 30,000 disabled fans attend league matches each season. The challenges faced by disabled people are numerous and often unexpected and NADS works alongside the football family and government lobbying for continued improvements and sharing good practice where it exists.

Raising awareness and identifying improvements to services and facilities is an all year round activity for Rovers and the LPF provides a welcome opportunity to remind people that all disabled people are welcome here at Ewood Park.

The club has a strong commitment to its disabled supporters and to our visiting supporters and today we welcome disabled supporters from Chelsea.

Many people will imagine someone in a wheelchair when thinking of disability and around one per cent of the population uses a wheelchair. However, disability is wide-ranging and there are many types of disability, some of which are hidden, but each with specific access needs. In previous years we have highlighted the needs of people with visual impairments and learning disabilities. This year's campaign is focusing on ambulant disabled supporters. So who might they be? The term 'ambulant disabled' refers to people with a wide range of disabilities who are not regular wheelchair users. It could be someone who walks with an aid (eg a frame or sticks or crutches), but there are many people who have a condition or illness that isn't always obvious. Conditions such as cancer, diabetes or epilepsy are not always visible, but for people with these conditions it is important that their needs are met too.The facilities they require would vary depending on the specific effects of the illness or disability.

Rovers' aim is 'Access and Inclusion for all.' We are reviewing the customer experience for all disabled people and identifying areas for improvement. However, as part of our ongoing programme of improvements, we have made a specific commitment to ambulant disabled supporters:

• To consider some resting points outside the ground to enable those who need to sit and rest or catch their breath en route to the stadium entrances from either a car park or a drop-off point;
• To draw up plans for an accessible toilet with an outward opening door and handrails in each of the toilet blocks; and
• To organise a ground tour specifically for ambulant supporters that would allow more time for people who have difficulty walking and enable them to sit or rest for a while if needed.

For more disability information about Rovers please see www.rovers.co.uk/page/DisabilityMatters or call our Disability Liaison Officer on 07717 724646.
For more information about NADS, or to join them, visit www.nads.org.uk, email info@nads.org.uk or call on 0845 230 6237.