Stockport County Football Club is delighted to announce the launch of its new Quiet Room at Edgeley Park, in partnership with John Lewis Cheadle.
The Quiet Room is one of a number of new initiatives to help individuals with sensory issues whilst at Edgeley Park, as part of the club’s County Collective initiative. County Collective stands as Stockport County Football Club’s resolute commitment to ensuring that every individual who wishes to support, engage, or work for the club feels not only included but also valued. It’s an important move towards building an environment where diversity is embraced.
This dedicated room in the Community Trust office provides a safe, calm and controlled space for people to access on a matchday, including a sensory light kindly installed and donated by NK Property Solutions, along with a sofa, beanbags and soft furnishing, all provided by John Lewis Cheadle.
Following a successful soft launch during last weekend’s game against Grimsby Town, the Quiet Room will officially open its doors for Saturday’s game against Tranmere Rovers in League Two. The facility is free to use, and anyone wishing to access it can do so by: emailing [email protected], contacting a steward or member of our SLO team on a matchday, or using our in-game text message service on 60777, starting your message with SCFC. Please note that Parents/Carers will need to stay with anyone who is using the Quiet Room.
Sensory items now available:
The club have also invested in some sensory items that will now be available to supporters on a matchday. The items available include:
- Emotional Card Pack
- Fidget Cubes
- Stress Ball
- Branded Headphones/Ear Defenders – available for matchday use
Other than the headphones, which should be returned after the game, the items will be available for you to keep! These sensory items are designed to help people cope in a crowded environment, by stimulating their senses and keeping them physically and mentally engaged.
Sensory hour in the club shop:
Starting from this week, the Club Shop will be introducing a sensory hour every Wednesday, from 3pm-4pm, providing shoppers with a quieter, more relaxed shopping experience.
Signs will be put up in the shop during this time to remind customers, and we kindly ask for your co-operation in making the shop a quiet environment for this hour.
Quiet Stadium Walk Round Sessions:
Throughout the season, we will also be offering Quiet Stadium Walk Round Sessions where we invite anyone with sensory issues into Edgeley Park when it’s closed to the public. These sessions are designed to get them used to the stadium, and give them the opportunity to learn more about what to expect on a matchday.
To access any of the above initiatives, supporters are advised to contact[email protected].
Head of Supporter Services, Olivia Hanvey said:
“At Stockport County we’re dedicated to making Edgeley Park an inclusive venue for everyone, and these initiatives are key to making us an autism-friendly football club. We appreciate that sometimes being at the football can be overwhelming for some people, particularly with the fantastic attendances the club have been getting in recent years, so we hope that these steps go some way to creating an environment where they can enjoy watching County in action.
“I’d like to thank both John Lewis Cheadle for their support in creating the Quiet Room – we have already received some really positive feedback during our soft launch against Grimsby and I’m sure it will be a great addition to Edgeley Park.
“We would also like to thank the Supporters Co-Op Group, whose sponsorship of the Flag Bearers programme has also supported the setting up of the Quiet Room, alongside NK Property Solutions who also supplied and fitted new lights for the room.”
Craig Neil from John Lewis Cheadle said:
“It’s been an absolute privilege to be able to play a small – yet meaningful – part in Stockport’s ‘County Collective’ initiative. The team at John Lewis Cheadle have loved helping to create a comfortable and safe space for those who may otherwise not feel included or thought about – allowing anyone who wants to, to enjoy their time at Edgeley Park.”
