Rotherham United will join in uniting with clubs around the country in their support for the EFL’s Day of Disabilities which takes place today on Tuesday 3rd December.
The EFL’s Day of Disabilities coincides with International Day of Persons with Disabilities which also falls on today’s date and will be celebrated across the world. The aim of the day is for the EFL and its clubs to ensure an inclusive environment for disabled supporters, a belief that we hold with the highest of priorities here at Rotherham United.
To mark the occasion, the Millers will be re-releasing their informative video on disability/hate crime awareness which was shown in the build up to and on the day of our home match against Oxford United, which was dedicated to raising awareness of hate crimes, whilst promoting the work of a number of our community partners including Sense and the Blind and Deaf Trust. Meanwhile, Millers midfielder Matt Crooks, displayed his ability to sign whilst talking about growing up with the deafness in his family.
You can watch both videos here:
Here at Rotherham United, we are wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that anyone in our community and beyond can come and enjoy the football club. As well as boasting excellent disabled facilities at our AESSEAL New York Stadium home, some of which were recently showcased in our Disabled Facilities Open Day event – the first of its kind in the EFL, we are proud to have the Rotherham United Disabled Supporters Association.
RUDSA are a group of disabled fans who meet regularly at AESSEAL New York Stadium to provide us with regular feedback on how we can continue to improve the facilities and events that we are able to offer here at Rotherham United, and these meetings are regularly attended by current players and staff and other notable figures associated with the club, as guest speakers.
On top of this, the club famously honoured one of our most high-profile supporters from years gone by in Derek Dalton, whose name proudly adorns the disabled areas here at AESSEAL New York Stadium. Despite suffering with Polio throughout his life, Derek remained committed to following the Millers up and down the country which led to him being crowned the Shoot Magazine Fan of the Year in 1983 whilst also, during a Royal visit, presenting The Queen with a Rotherham United pennant.
As the Millers re-release the video which debuted at the home game with Oxford United, Head of Community Jamie Noble expressed his delight at the opportunity to reaffirm the club’s commitment to supporting the EFL’s Day of Disabilities.
“Whilst we are incredibly proud of the facilities we are able to offer supporters, we refuse to lose sight of the opportunity to improve and will remain committed to ensuring that everyone including our disabled supporters are made to feel welcome here at Rotherham United,” he proudly told www.themillers.co.uk.
“We feel the content of this video reaffirms how dedicated we are to not just our disabled supporters, but those in the community with a disability and we will continue to reach out to those who are not yet at a stage where they feel they are ready to see the work we do here at Rotherham United, but are interested in doing so.
“It would be amiss of me not to say how proud of the facilities we have here we are and how much we enjoy working alongside the numerous fantastic charities that work alongside disabled members of our community every day.”