Swindon Town FC Community Foundation welcomed over 50 disabled children to its first Disability Festival of the season at Foundation Park on October 10. The event provided a day of inclusive football-themed activities, offering many participants their first connection to the club.
Scott Burden, a key organiser, described it as a fantastic morning. "It was a fantastic morning, made even more special by seeing so many participants engaging, enjoying themselves and creating lasting memories at our disability event," he said. The morning featured over an hour of multi-sport sessions in the Nigel Eady dome, including ten-pin bowling, dodgeball, basketball, and penalty shootouts.
Player and community engagement
Swindon Town first-team player Fletcher Holman attended, taking part in the activities and spending time with the young supporters. "I really enjoyed being part of the day and connecting with our supporters in such a fun and engaging way," Holman said. The Official Supporters Club also contributed, with representatives Chris Kyle and Vic Morgan giving talks on the club's history.
A poignant aspect of the day was the distribution of tickets to the Crewe Alexandra match held later that same day. Burden noted that over 85% of attendees had never experienced a Swindon Town matchday before. The club's recent form, which includes a 0-1 home defeat to Crewe that evening, sees them 17th in the standings with 11 points from 10 games.
A season-long commitment
The festival marks the start of a sustained programme funded by the Premier League Fans Fund, which will support similar events through to the end of the 2027/28 season. Darren Howell, the Foundation's partnerships and strategic manager, emphasised the goal of ensuring disabled people feel connected to the club and can participate in a safe, accessible environment. He stated the Foundation is committed to breaking down barriers and creating a welcoming, inclusive community for all.
Three more disability-focused events are scheduled for this campaign. The next one is set for February 6 and will be tailored for visually impaired and blind participants, followed by an event for women and girls on March 6 and a wheelchair user-focused day on April 17. The Foundation's work continues as the first team, currently 17th, prepares for its next League Two challenge at home to sixth-placed Walsall this Saturday, as seen on the club's fixtures list.
The original report is at uk.news.yahoo.com
