"It’s something I really look forward to every weekend, meeting up with friends, going to the game, the travel to and from the game"

Do you have an example of a time or an area of your life where you have felt inclusion has been prioritised? And what impact this had? 

I definitely feel like inclusion has been prioritised in football, especially the last 5 years or so. I love knowing that if ever I have an accessibility issue there is a point of contact in the clubs disability access officer (DAO), and of course so many clubs across Europe are now also taking part in AccessibAll’s Week of Action which is great to see. This makes me feel like, in sport, we are heading in the right direction.  

Do you believe that disability inclusion in one part of life (eg. work, social life, sport) can have a positive knock-on effect to other areas? 

Absolutely! Again I think football is a good example of this. With the focus on accessibility and inclusion I feel like when I turn up to a game I can just enjoy the match without having to worry too much about access issues, and enjoy the same experience as non-disabled fans. That very rarely happens in the transport, hospitality and other industries. I think many other sectors can learn a lot by the approach towards inclusion in the football industry.  

If you attend football matches in person, what impact do you believe attending live football matches has had for you or others you have met? 

A massive and positive impact. It’s something I really look forward to every weekend, meeting up with friends, going to the game, the travel to and from the game. It’s great for socialising and has a positive impact on mental health too.  

Do you have any advice for organisations or individuals who wish to become more inclusive of disabled people? 

Nothing about us without us. It’s important that when you’re designing policies on accessibility and inclusion that disabled people are included in that process. Lived experience matters and will really help you’re organisation thrive when it comes to being more inclusive.

Wishing all of our partners, stakeholders and like-minded friends a very happy International Day of Disabled People 2025!

Published 3/12/2025