Pablo Hernandez paid a visit to the Leeds United Foundation Cerebral palsy football team recently to learn more about the work the club’s official charity do to support people with disabilities in the local community.

The team of youngsters were invited by the Leeds United star to attend the Sky Bet Championship fixture against West Bromwich Albion tonight as a special treat where they will have an exclusive matchday experience, including meeting the first-team squad.

The group of ten children will all be wearing Level Playing Field branded t-shirts for the activity as we head into the charity’s Week of Action which helps to promote a positive, inclusive experience for disabled sports fans.

The Week of Action will begin tomorrow (2 March) and will once again be supported by the EFL as clubs showcase the work they do to improve the enjoyment and experience of disabled sports fans.

Level Playing Field believe that attending and engaging in live sporting events can have a positive impact on wellbeing and so in 2016 the EFL announced the launch of a new programme called ‘Every Player Counts’. The programme is delivered by Leeds United Foundation staff across Leeds and aims to attract as many new participants into disability football as possible.

The cerebral palsy football team is just one of the many disabled groups the foundation work with, others include working with wheelchair users, amputees, people with autism, those with a vision impairment and older participants suffering with early onset dementia. The foundation coaches help to give so many of these people the chance to gain access to play football for the very first time.

Disabled people are the largest minority group in any population and with sport having such a unique capacity to bring people together, accessible and inclusive programmes are essential for disabled people to participate fully within the local community and further.