The Select Car Leasing Stadium now offers a dedicated therapeutic area for children and adults with autism and other special needs
Football is for all at Reading.
And we are very proud to be able to now offer a dedicated space at home matches designed specifically to cater for children and young adults with autism and other special needs.
The club has partnered with local charity, Swings & Smiles, in creating a provision for a therapeutic area at the Select Car Leasing Stadium which will allow us to invite supporters with specific needs to join our Royal family on a matchday in RG2.
Swings & Smiles is a Thatcham-based charity set up in 2007, committed to improving the quality of life for disabled children and their families.
The charity offers support for children wide range of disabilities and special needs, and their families, in a unique and accessible environment, including respite facilities, family play sessions, youth clubs, sibling support and outreach programmes.
And they are now able to provide opportunities to young football supporters who want to come to Royals home matches; this facility will help families attend games where previously they would not feel confident or comfortable in the environment.
“Knowing the Swings & Smiles team were at the stadium to support my son and our family was essential to us being able to access the match at Reading. Our son used the sensory breakout room throughout the afternoon and both he and the whole family were able to watch the game as a result.”
Catherine
As part of this new partnership, the club are fully committed to providing tickets to supporters and their families who will benefit from this sensory space on a matchday and we now have a designated room which, on matchdays, will be hosted by Swings and Smiles for the families which they can help and support with this service.
We first set up the space for our Level Playing Field ‘Unite For Access’ game, against Millwall earlier this month, and the trial proved successful – meaning the provision will be made available at three of our four remaining home games this season, the afternoon kick-offs against Birmingham City, Burnley and Wigan Athletic.
A spokesperson from Swings & Smiles said, “Swings & Smiles are really excited to be working with Reading Football Club to support disabled children and their families to access events that may otherwise be too challenging.
“Alongside Reading Football Club we have been able to create space for the families to access throughout games allowing them to take part in sensory breaks. It is our intention to help the families to build their confidence in the community while enjoying the games”
The sensory space is managed by Swings & Smiles on a matchday and all those who wish to use the sensory area at the stadium should contact the charity directly by emailing becky@swingsandsmiles.co.uk.
This week is World Autism Acceptance Week, an event aimed toward supporting the 700,000 autistic people in the United Kingdom and educating the wider public on autism. Earlier this week, we told the story of Conor's trip to Bearwood and we also invited young Royals fan Alex Richardson to the training ground this week to meet some of the first team before and after trianing.
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