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The English Football League has made more than a million pounds available to assist disabled footballers and attract new players to the game.
It is hoped that the EFL’s £1.1m project will attract almost 10,000 new participants into disability football.
The Every Player Counts initiative will cover a wide range of areas, including wheelchair football, football for visual impairment, learning difficulties, amputees and autism, giving many people access to football for the first time.
Nationwide backing
Supporting the EFL Trust’s aim to increase sports participation for all, the landmark project includes funding from the Wembley National Stadium Trust, a figure which represents the WNST’s largest single donation to date and its first England-wide grants programme.
Twenty five EFL clubs will be involved in running programmes that are tailored to the specific needs of their local community. Individual programmes will differ from club to club, but the emphasis is on increasing participation, improving health and championing the social benefits of taking part in football.
In the first year, the project aims to engage 3,000 new participants across the country, creating 31 new teams and up-skilling 130 coaches.
Mike Evans, the EFL Trust director of operations, said: “The new partnership with Wembley National Stadium Trust will enable us to widen the reach of our network even further and use the power of football to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
This is a fantastic project that recognises the power of sport to improve health and build a person’s capacity and confidence
Penny Mordaunt, the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work, said: “This is a fantastic project that recognises the power of sport to improve health and build a person’s capacity and confidence.”
“I’ve heard first hand about the vital role sport has played in helping disabled people move into employment and the transformation this has made to their lives. Every Player Counts is a great example for sports clubs, educators and businesses everywhere to enable disabled people to reach their full potential.”
