Manchester’s footballing giants have been praised by Government minister Penny Mordaunt for their work to provide facilities fit for disabled fans in their stadiums.
The Minister for Disabled People highlighted Manchester City and Manchester United’s efforts to install accessibletoilets into their stadiums and called for other Premier League clubs to follow their example.
There are only seven clubs in the top division who have already got disabled toilets or have immediate plans to install them and Mordaunt this week demanded that the rest of the teams followed suit.
In a speech at the launch of the Premier League and BT Disability she said said: “Wouldn’t be great if by the end of the season every Premier League club had such facilities?
“Today I am writing out to all Premier League club to ask them to commit to do this, and to supporter organisations to ask for their help and encouragement.
“It is long overdue, and would also send a powerful message to other organisations and venues that not catering for this basic need is no longer acceptable.
“I have always believed that the fans are the club. Owners, managers, players come and go; it is the fans that remain constant. Their loyalty and support is your greatest asset and they should be treasured.
“And that means providing them somewhere where they can go to the loo at half time in safety and comfort.”
Mordaunt has labelled the Manchester clubs as belonging to the “Magnificent Seven” and written separate letters to each club to praise their contribution in improving their disabled facilities.
Manchester United have already installed disabled toilets along with Liverpool, Arsenal and West Ham while Manchester City, Southampton and Leicester City will soon have them in their grounds.
This latest development is part of the Changing Places programme that is being run by Mencap. For more information about other initiatives that Mencap is running, go to www.mencap.org.uk
Image courtesy of Sean MacEntee, with thanks.
