The National Deaf Childrens Societys (NDCS) held a Deaf
Friendly Football Festival at Hale End Sports Ground, Wadham Road,
Walthamstow, last week. The fun filled event was held in
partnership with Arsenal in the Community, the Football Foundation
and St Johns Arsenal Deaf FC.
The children aged between 6 and 16 years enjoyed coaching sessions
and mini games and Gunnersaurus also attended the presentation
ceremony to hand out awards. All sessions will be run by Arsenal
Football in the Community coaches.
The football festival was part of a NDCS project designed to make
football more accessible to all deaf children. Arsenal in the
Community has committed to the project and over the course of the
next three years, with the support of the NDCS, will be holding
regular weekly coaching sessions for deaf footballers as well as
providing deaf children the chance to join the St Johns Arsenal
Deaf FC and play in competitions.
The NDCS Deaf Friendly Football Project is being funded with the
help of a £211,608 grant from the UKs largest sports charity, the
Football Foundation, which invests money from its partners the
Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the
Government into good causes. Additional funding has come from
Phonak UK and Sportsmatch.
The project will award clubs who meet the needs of deaf children
with Deaf Friendly Accreditation. Through the accreditation
scheme clubs will be able to access deaf awareness training,
information, resources, equipment and support.
The project will also actively recruit and train deaf adults to
become qualified football coaches. This work will be combined with
a programme of Deaf Friendly Football Festivals, the establishment
of regular football opportunities, a national database of Deaf
Friendly Football Clubs, tournaments and conferences to provide
opportunities for deaf children and young people to participate in
football at all levels.
Hayley Brown, NDCS Sports and Leisure Activities Officer says: In
the UK today there is a real lack of football opportunities
available from grassroots to elite level for deaf children and
young people. Deafness makes it harder for children to communicate
which can be very isolating. Many deaf children and young people
find it difficult to participate in football because clubs are not
set up to provide good communication. This project has the
potential to revolutionise the sport at all levels for deaf
children and young people.
Pics coming right up
