Football comes to children with sight loss in Cardiff

25 April 2006

There are around 1,500 children in Wales who rarely get the chance to play football or even enjoy a game at their local stadium. If they do go to watch a match all too often they have to rely on Dad to tell them what’s happening on the pitch.

RNIB’s Soccer Sight Project Officers, Cardiff County Council Sports Development, Cardiff County Council Education Dept.,  Football Association of Wales Trust, Cardiff City Football in the Community, Wales Council for the Blind and RNIB Cymru are working in partnership to give blind and partially sighted young people a chance to play and coach football.

The first training session will be held at Whitchurch High School (Upper site) on 12 May 2006 between 5 and 6pm.  Children with sight problems aged between 8 and 16 are very welcome.  Susan Neale Project Co-ordinator said “It will be a great day, we will be learning all the football skills like passing and dribbling.  Children are guaranteed to have fun, get fit, make friends and learn, all at the same time.”

Jo Coates, Disability Sport Wales Development Officer for Sport Cardiff, commented "This is a really exciting new venture for Cardiff. I hope that the club will be a big success and attract plenty of children to join the training sessions. With similar ventures taking place in Swansea and Bristol, there are also friendly competitive opportunities available."

RNIB Cymru has also been working with a range of football clubs in the Coca-Cola League to make audio description available at all their football grounds. This facility will mean that any person with sight problems will have access to special commentaries and equipment. This allows them to keep up with the action on and off the pitch.

Rob Earnshaw, centre forward for Wales, commented:
“This is a winning project, it’s brilliant that all the partners involved are helping blind and partially sighted kids have the opportunity to participate in football.  Everyone should have a chance to play the beautiful game.”