Ashford Sensory Football Club team up with national campaign Her Game Too

By Faye Hackwell

An Ashford-based football club for children with complex disabilities have partnered with the national campaign Her Game Too.

Ashford Sensory Football Club are breaking down the barriers that often prevent disabled children from taking part in sport by providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for them to enjoy football with their families.

Sensory football removes the tactics and rules that can sometimes make the game too complex for children and adults with disabilities to follow, and involves specially-adapted sessions using the skills, drills and fun elements of the game.

Ashford Sensory Football Club run specially-adapted sessions for young people with two or more disabilities to attend with their relatives and carers at the Stour Centre, where they can enjoy playing games and using sensory equipment, such as balls with different textures, sounds and colours.

The sessions are open to both girls and boys and coached by female volunteers with expertise in working with children with special educational needs.

The club have now become a partner of Her Game Too, a campaign run by female football fans that fights against gender discrimination and promotes football as a game for all through events, promoting opportunities for women and girls in the sport, positive messaging and celebrating female achievement.

Emma Oram, coach and secretary of Ashford Sensory Football Club, said: “We are excited and honoured to partner with Her Game Too.

“The campaign’s values align perfectly with ours, as we believe in making football accessible for all and are proud to be removing barriers like gender and ability by being truly inclusive.

“Our girls and boys are unable to access traditional sports clubs, and for