Spurs support UK Disability History Month (UKDHM)

Friday 27 Nov 2015
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Launched in 2010, UKDHM celebrates the lives and achievements of disabled people and promotes equality and inclusion for people with disabilities.

Our continued support for Kick It Out highlights the importance of equality and diversity in football and focuses on tackling all forms of discrimination.

In the past 12 months, the Club has developed a number of initiatives to ensure that both fans and local residents with disabilities have access to the opportunities we deliver – from following the team to away games and ensuring their needs are fully met, to accessing sport, education and employment programmes available in the community.

In November, 2014, the Club, through the Foundation, launched a Disability Centre of Excellence in partnership with Barnet and Southgate College. The Centre is designed to provide specialist education facilities dedicated to the specific needs of students with complex learning and physical disabilities. With the aim of making a life-changing difference to 200 students each year, the facilities help develop vital communication, independent living and work skills to provide students the best chance of becoming economically active in their future life.

Working closely with the Tottenham Hotspur Disabled Supporters Association, we continue to be the only Premier League Club to have a disability steward travel to all away games with our disabled fans. In doing so, our specially trained disability stewards ensure that our fans have a fantastic experience in and around the different stadia in the Premier League and Europe.

During the summer months, we announced that our Disability Schools programme had been delivered to every special school within the London Boroughs of Haringey, Enfield, Waltham Forest and Barnet since 2006. The programme sees members of our Equalities and Inclusion team work closely with special schools to deliver bespoke sports and education activities for students each week, encouraging pupils to build positive relationships through sports participation.

To date, over 13,000 opportunities have been delivered to people with disabilities with this number continuing to rise on both a local and international level.

The Club has dedicated its fixture against Newcastle United on December 13 to supporting Kick It Out. In the lead up to this game and during UKDHM, please keep an eye on our website where we will be hearing from fans and members of the community who have benefitted from some of our disability programmes.

For more information about UK Disability History Month, please visit www.ukdhm.org.

From Tottenham Hotspur

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Sean Ellingham and Ben Kelly, both lifelong Spurs fans from Hertfordshire, struck gold at the World Games held in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Special Olympics is a global organisation providing sporting opportunities for people with learning disabilities throughout the world.

The Club, through its Foundation, have been a proud partner of Special Olympics for a number of years now, both through promoting its Unified Football programme locally and delivering football coaching clinics in partnership with the organisation across the world, including during recent first team tours to the US, Malaysia and Australia.

The Special Olympics World Games are held every two years, and at their first attempt, Sean and Ben helped lead Team GB to gold in the Men’s 11-a-side competition, beating Bangladesh 8-6 in a thrilling final back in August.

On November 24 the pair were rewarded with the chance to watch Mauricio Pochettino’s time at close quarters and meet the players after the session.

Ben even lent his gold medal to his favourite player, Harry Kane, on what was a day to remember for the lads.

From Tottenham Hotspur

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"We have a responsibility as players to give something back and I’m really thankful to be part of this organisation because we can do a lot of good."
Jack Butland, 'Next 20' Ambassador
“A big part of my involvement with Kick It Out stems from my strong admiration for the organisation’s commitment to fairness and equality.”
Clive Tyldesley, football commentator
“It was Kick It Out that convinced the people in football that change was possible.”
Greg Dyke, former FA chairman
“I wanted to thank the campaigners at Kick It Out for their work. I know first-hand how Kick It Out can help.”
Yaya Toure, Manchester City midfielder
“It is important for me in my role as a Kick It Out ‘Next 20’ ambassador to teach young people how to handle discrimination and treat people with respect.”
Romelu Lukaku, 'Next 20' Ambassador
“It is a massive honour for me to be an ambassador for such a great organisation. I think they do great work on and off the field.”
Toni Duggan, 'Next 20' Ambassador
"It really helped me to see that other professional sports people were acknowledging their sexuality. I read about John Amaechi, Gareth Thomas and Tom Daley. They weren't footballers but the fact that they went public gave me the feeling that I was not alone."
Thomas Hitzlsperger, former Aston Villa midfielder
"There was no conflict between religion and the fact that I wanted to play football. I was brought up correctly and in the right way and my parents are very proud of the fact that I am a professional footballer."
Sadio Mané, Liverpool winger
“I think it’s important to share success stories and realise that there are women operating in the game. If it’s something you want to do, you can do it.”
Ffion Eade, Hampshire FA referee
"I've had loads of negative comments from men, especially growing up. It's just boring and old. Times have changed, and they continue to change. Women play football, and they're good at it, and have been for a number of years.”
Kelly Smith, England Women's record goalscorer
"Despite the progress, stereotypes still exist in football and until that is broken down it will be extremely difficult for a woman to manage a top level men's team."
Rachel Yankey, former Arsenal Ladies forward
"There’s no hiding that there is sexism in sport. We have a lack of women right across all levels of management, playing and coaching. It shows the closed nature of sport in general and this includes the media. It’s an indictment of sport as a whole."
Rimla Akhtar, Kick It Out trustee and Chair of the Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation
“I’m proud to be a supporter of Kick It Out and particularly the work they are doing to combat antisemitism within football.”
Joe Jacobson, Wycombe Wanderers midfielder
"With Kick It Out leading the way football is standing up and fighting against those who preach hatred and intolerance and we at Chelsea are proud to support their work."
Bruce Buck, Chelsea Football Club Chairman

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