Premier League Disability Football Festivals giving opportunities for all

To mark this week's International Day of Persons With Disabilities, we are taking a look at how Premier League community programmes are providing football sessions that are accessible for all.

This summer, hundreds of people had the opportunity to showcase their abilities and celebrate how football has made an impact on their lives at three Premier League Disability Football Festivals.

To highlight the Premier League's year-round commitment to making football a sport for all, we followed the story of some of the footballers who competed at the events, which were hosted by Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Middlesborough. 

At Chelsea FC's first-team training ground in Cobham, Conor was on home turf representing the Chelsea Foundation.

Conor has cerebral palsy. He was born prematurely at 24 weeks and spent more than six months in hospital.

"Football gives me that release," he says at the festival, which was attended by Chelsea Women's captain Millie Bright. "It's a very big release of endorphins, energy and just happiness really.

"It's just lovely to look around and to see all the inclusivity and everyone's different abilities all coming together as one so they can enjoy one sport that they all love."

"He was as big as my hand," explains Conor's grandmother Joan. "This is what pan-disability has done for our boy.

"When we see all of the kids that take part in all these tournaments, you can hear the emotion. I get so emotional... because everybody can play."

Millie Bright visits Disability Festival at Chelsea

Alongside Conor at Cobham, representing AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust, was James, who had cochlear implants fitted last year to help with his deafness.

"Not just regular people can play football, everyone can play football," he says.

Harry was one of the players taking part at Wolves' Sir Jack Hayward training ground. He is visually impaired and has been with the Stoke City Community Trust for more than eight years.

"I don't want people constantly asking if I'm all right," he says. "You just want to fit in.

"If you're hearing impaired, got cerebral palsy, visually impaired or you're an amputee, there is a pathway for you. You can come on to the pitch and just be playing football and forget about everything else.

"If you put your mind to it, you can do it."

Laura, who has ADHD and struggles with anxiety, was part of the Aston Villa Foundation team competing in Wolverhampton.

"Football has given me more confidence about myself to go to wherever else I need to go to," she says.

Laura's mum says having the opportunity to play football has made a significant impact on her daughter's life.

"I don't like the word disability, it's ability, they are just like any other person," she says. "Laura has actually been on a team with all boys and it doesn't bother her one bit, because it's football. To see her happy, makes me happy and I love that."

Conor, James, Harry and Laura were four of more than 450 participants representing more than 50 professional football clubs at the pan-disability football festivals, which were delivered by club charities in partnership with the Premier League Charitable Fund.

The aim of the festivals was to create opportunities for players to develop their skills and confidence in a supportive environment, catering for the needs of people who are neurodivergent and those who have sensory or physical disabilities.

The Premier League Disability Football Festivals were a celebration of how the Premier League's community programmes - Premier League Kicks, Premier League Inspires and Premier League Primary Stars - connect young people aged from five to 18 with football, providing positive opportunities to help them reach their potential.

More than 160 football clubs across England and Wales receive funding from the Premier League to deliver inclusive community programmes.