Level Playing Field is delighted to recognise the accessible facilities and services at Derby County FC and to present an “LPF Centre of Excellence Award” at their recent home game v Fulham on 23rd August 2014.
The iPro Stadium is the first in the Football League to achieve this award and sits alongside Wembley and the Emirates Stadiums as the only football grounds to have reached this standard.
The “LPF Centre of Excellence Award” is presented to sporting venues that demonstrate the highest access and inclusion standards in accommodating disabled spectators and visitors on match (or event) and non-match days. To qualify for the award, the club or venue undergoes a Level Playing Field Professional Access Audit and must demonstrate that it meets all good practice standards, equality and access legislation and building regulations for accessible sports stadia.
Derby County has been innovative in making many excellent improvements and provisions for its disabled fans. These include several smart and low cost ground breaking solutions that have established good practice examples for existing stadiums that LPF now hopes other clubs will look to adopt. The club works closely with its Disabled Supporters Association and recognises the value of on-going user-led consultation.
Level Playing Field (LPF) recognises Derby County Football Club as an excellent example of a club making continued improvements to its disabled fans facilities. We are particularly impressed by the “can do” culture throughout the club and based on the findings of the access audit and in recognition of the work that has been done and continues to be done, the LPF Board of Trustees are delighted to award the “LPF Centre of Excellence”
The award was made by Janet Ireland, LPF Ambassador and Ruth Hopkins, NRAC Auditor, LPF Access & Development Manager to Emma Drury, Disability Liaison Officer, Derby County FC before the Derby County v Fulham match.
You can read more about the LPF Access Audit Awards here