English football unites this weekend to promote Play Safe – the national campaign to focus attention of the vital importance of safeguarding across our game.

Newton Aycliffe FC is right behind Play Safe, which is endorsed by the NSPCC and supported across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, men’s and women’s National Leagues and across the grassroots game.

“Yvonne Wood, Safeguarding lead at Newton Aycliffe FC, said the Club takes safeguarding seriously even more so this year now we have a Junior team. It is important that we take responsibility and make sure the Club is a safe environment to all who visit or play here. The Captains and Managers of both the Senior and Junior teams will be wearing the Play Safe armbands and pin badges and the Ashcourt Group Stadium proudly displays the Play Safe banner. Since the Juniors joined with us this season our notices have been updated and parents provided with my details as well as those of the the NSPCC. Everyone, everywhere has a responsibility for safeguarding. Here at Aycliffe we want to make the game safer, fun and enjoyable for EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, EVERY TIME.”

As Sue Ravenlaw, The FA Head of Safeguarding says: “The central push behind this year’s Play Safe weekend is to create awareness among individuals of the vital safeguarding role they can play in football. It really is about Everyone Everywhere, Every Time.
Play Safe weekend is a fantastic way of raising the awareness of safeguarding and putting this at the forefront of people’s minds, not just for this weekend, but throughout the season. This year, we’re asking everyone to know their role in safeguarding and we look forward to seeing clubs at every level of the game showing their support across the weekend, to make sure football is safe, fun, and enjoyable for all.”

Crucially, Play Safe also has the full support of The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group: “It’s essential that everyone in football – no matter if they’re actively involved, or on the sidelines – understands that they have an ongoing safeguarding role to play. Obviously Play Safe is 24/7 and 365, as is reflected in the Play Safe messaging of ‘Everyone, Everywhere and Every time’, but this weekend helps with raising awareness of how everyone can help to create safe and positive football spaces, what inappropriate behaviours look, sound, and feel like and importantly how to report concerns.”

If you have a safeguarding concern, or would like some advice, the person to contact at Newton Aycliffe FC is

Yvonne Wood
Secretary/Welfare/Safeguarding Officer

https://www.englandfootball.com/playsafe