Imagine being the mother of a newly diagnosed child with autism, three or four years old, you'd think the sky had fallen in. It's all about community, don't worry about barriers and labels, just get people enjoying themselves. There's a massive club in Prague called Prague Raptors who have invited us over. "We've been invited to Spain, to Sweden and the Czech Republic. Or any mental health issues - we just want anybody to play football."ĭoran adds: "Inclusion football is growing nationwide and Europe-wide. "Anything from autism, ADHD to cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, any disability. Today, we had to come in three or four cars because a coach is too expensive for us." 'Inclusion football is growing nationwide'ĭavid Parsons from Hamble Club Pan Disability summed up the ethos behind the event. But we need more money, more sponsorship. He said: "We have started playing all around the country, and every year in May, I organise a big tournament in Lytham St Annes with 30 teams coming from all around the UK, and we even get a team over from Italy. Italian Luca Lanzani brought some continental flair to the tournament, with his Inter St Annes team, named in honour of his allegiances back home. Rhys Porter, a 13-year-old Fulham fan who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, overcame cyberbullying on TikTok to raise awareness and funds for disability football and was rewarded with his 'dream' trip to Wembley We want to create a place for the parents to just sit, relax and support each other." The main aim now is to get a good training facility that is indoor with a soft pitch so these children can play all year around, rather than just when it's sunny. They've never played in a tournament like this, and they are just loving every minute of it. "Some of these children have never been part of a team. We had some help along the way with the support of Swansea City FC, Catherine Thomas there has got behind us, and it's made a difference to so many people's lives, especially the parents. "We started the Stags in 2019 and this year we are up to over 50 players.
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