Wanderers will join more than a hundred other clubs taking part in Level Playing Field’s 'Unite For Access' campaign at this weekend’s fixture against Cambridge United.
The leading disability fan advocacy charity in England and Wales, Level Playing Field’s mission is to create a more equitable match day experience for all sports fans.
As a club, we continue to be committed to ensuring Bolton Wanderers is accessible to all and this season, the Stadium Accessibility Group, consisting of senior club staff and representatives from Bolton Wanderers in the Community, the Disabled Supporters’ Association and the Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust, have met regularly to review and consolidate plans.
And the last 12 months have proved to be a significant turning point in the introduction of new and improved facilities:
Changing Places
With the support of Bolton Council and the Bolton Wanderers’ Supporters’ Trust, we have now installed a Changing Places facility on site at the stadium.
A Changing Places facility provides sanitary accommodation for people with multiple and complex disabilities who cannot use a standard accessible toilet. With additional space and equipment, the facility is designed for people who need assistance to be changed.
Located in the south-east corner of the stadium, opposite the Club Shop, the facility encompasses a changing bench and hoist, shower facility and toilet.
Quiet Room
In addition, a new Quiet Room was also opened in September 2022. Situated next door to the Changing Places facility, the Quiet Room is designed to create a comfortable and calming environment for supporters who may experience sensory overload and require a quiet space to retreat to during a matchday.
Audio-Descriptive Commentary
We introduced a new in-stadium commentary service for visually impaired and blind fans attending home games at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Audio Description (AD) commentary is a specialist form of commentary that allows supporters to come along to match days with family and friends and sit anywhere in the stadium to listen in, using the AD equipment.
The service is free to use and receivers can be booked ahead of a match by emailing tickets@bwfc.co.uk at least 24 hours prior to kick-off.
Well-being Hub
Operated by Bolton Wanderers in the Community, the new Well-being Hub is now open every match day, providing a space ahead of kick off for supporters to keep warm, enjoy free refreshments, take part in games and access advice and support services.
Phil Mason, Chief Operating Officer at Bolton Wanderers said: “We are long-time advocates of Level Playing Field and we are pleased to once again highlight their important work through the ‘Unite for Access campaign this weekend.
“Since last year, we have made a number of major improvements to the stadium as we continue our mission to ensure the home of Bolton Wanderers is a safe, welcoming and accessible space for all supporters.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Level Playing Field team for many years to come.”
An estimated 24% of the UK population is disabled, making disabled people the largest minority group in the UK.
The most recent Level Playing Field fan survey listed ‘attitudes of others’ as the second most common barrier to attending live sport, ranking only behind ‘physical access’ and impacting more than a quarter of disabled fans. This means that everyone can play a significant part in making live sport more inclusive.
We call on all supporters to play their part in ensuring Bolton Wanderers is a welcoming environment for our disabled fans and those joining us from visiting clubs.
Disability can be a complex subject matter, and that is why we invite both disabled and nondisabled fans to engage with us through this important campaign and to ensure access and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.
To find out more about the work of Level Playing Field, please visit levelplayingfield.org.uk, or find them across social media by searching Level Playing Field.