Oxford United are pleased to continue their support for Level Playing Field’s #UniteForAccess campaign.
Level Playing Field is the leading charity advocating for disabled sports fans in England and Wales.
As a club, we believe that all people should be able to attend live sports, regardless of disability. We are committed to making Oxford United accessible to all and will continue to seek improvement, but we also call on all supporters to come with us on this journey; we all have our part to play.
We know that talking about disability can be daunting sometimes, it’s a complex subject matter. That’s why we invite all supporters, disabled and non-disabled, to engage with us on this important campaign and to ensure access and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do.
This season, the club’s Sensory Room has been open to create a safe and stress-free environment for supporters with autism and other sensory needs. Crowds and loud noises can be challenging for some, and the room provides a calm space via light projectors, soft play items, sensory mats, and special seating.
Des Buckingham’s nephew recently visited his first ever football match and was looked after by the team in the Sensory Room. Des told us:
“My nephew is three years old and enjoyed his first ever game in the sensory room. I can’t speak highly enough of the feedback that I had from my sister who attended the game with him.
“From the moment they arrived at the stadium, Sophia and her team in the Sensory Room made both my sister and Leo feel so welcome. It meant they could focus on enjoying the day rather than worrying about the stress of being in a crowded, loud stadium. The pleasing thing for me was seeing how happy my sister was – she got to come to the match, enjoy it and didn’t have to worry about my nephew. Leo loved the atmosphere, the Sensory Room and he even enjoyed the singing!
“This club is a lot more than just the Men’s First Team. We’ve recently had the Disability Team in and have celebrated the newly formed LGBTQ+ fan group, Proud Yellows, who have been with us at the Training Ground. That Sensory Room is another important arm of our club. We want our club to be as accessible as possible so that everyone and anyone can enjoy being part of Oxford United. I can tell you firsthand from a family perspective, my sister was beaming from ear to ear after that game, with a little bit of worry going into it. That showed the impact of the people at our club, who make a real difference to the matchday experience.”
Any supporter who feels they would benefit from the Sensory Room is welcome to use it before or during the game and should notify a steward or email ataylor@oufc.co.uk in advance.
The club has also actively engaged with its disabled supporters, hosting three Disabled Fan Forums over the past year, providing a platform to share their thoughts on the club’s disabled fan engagement, particularly on matchdays. Oxford United are keen to continue to improve our disabled facilities and wants supporters’ ideas to be at the heart of that process.
Additionally, with planning now submitted for our new stadium, we’ve offered our disabled supporters the opportunity to talk to the project management team behind the plans to ensure our new home is accessible to all.
We hope to share news on the next Disabled Fans Forum that we’ll be hosting shortly.
If you want to know more about the work of Level Playing Field, please visit www.levelplayingfield.org.uk or find them across social media by searching Level Playing Field.
