Leeds United are once again proud to celebrate International Day of People with Disabilities, helping to promote an understanding of issues those with disabilities face as well as supporting the rights and well-being of anyone with a disability.

The event takes place on 3^rd December every year, and for 2023 we continue to showcase the importance of creating opportunities and integrating people with disabilities into every aspect of life.

To show our support this year, a group of young students from St John’s Catholic School for the Deaf were invited to Thorp Arch to take part in a special training session with the Leeds United Foundation, joined by none other than Crysencio Summerville, Charlie Cresswell, Joe Gelhardt, and Ian Poveda.

The small group were divided into two teams on arrival at the training ground, with two first-team players on each side, and they couldn’t wait to take part in a competitive game of football, which included plenty of great goals and fantastic saves. The kids were also treated to photos with the players and a special tour around the facilities at Thorp Arch.

Simon Wood, the Health and Wellbeing Lead at the Leeds United Foundation spoke to LUTV during the visit and said: “As part of our celebrations with the Leeds United Foundation for International Day of People with Disabilities one of our schools that we work with have come down to Thorp Arch and got to have a game of football with some of our first-team players. They’ve had a really good day, and we got to send lots of excited children back on their school bus at the end of the session.

“It was great to see all of the happy faces and just celebrate how unique, and how brilliant the young people are. We always want to make sure that everything we do is accessible and inclusive for everyone in our community, and it’s fantastic when you see some of the challenges that these young people that we work with have, to then see them being able to access football and see their love for the game – it’s great that we’re able to support with that.”

The club’s official charity delivers a number of different disability initiatives through their health and wellbeing programme, whilst also supporting local schools and organisations with specialised coaching to ensure there are always opportunities for people to play football and sport.

St John’s is just one of the local schools that the Foundation have been working alongside and developing a special relationship with over the past few seasons. The Boston Spa-based institute is an oral school for hearing impaired pupils aged 3 to 19 and is also a specialist school for sensory and physical impairments. It is important to always remember that hidden disabilities do exist, and those with hidden disabilities may also require additional support.

If you would like any further information around the work being done for people with varying disabilities through the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Simon.Wood@leedsunited.com.