We are proud to announce that the official pledge of a Deaf Friendly Football Club was signed at Brentford Football Club`s Training Ground this week. Brentford and the Community Sports Trust have been awarded the accolade of Deaf Friendly Club by the National Deaf Children’s Society. First Team Manager Nicky Forster and Disability Ambassador Leon Legge signed on behalf of the Club.

Nicky Forster was very encouraged by the project. “We want everyone to feel included in our Football Club” he said “and this project has my full backing. I look forward to welcoming Ben’s deaf participants for a morning to meet the players”.

Peter Gilham, Brentford`s Communication & Player Liaison Manager added “We are always looking to include and welcome people with disabilities at our ground Griffin Park, and therefore we are delighted to sign up to this Deaf Friendly Football Club pledge”.

The great work which has been delivered by the BFC CST Disability Programme, and in particular the new sessions set up by Ben Lampert, has been the catalyst for this award. Ben’s recent work has included delivering sports sessions in four Hounslow / Ealing schools to approximately forty deaf children. He has also started a Deaf Friendly Friday football club and eight deaf children are now enjoying being coached by a GB International.

“Having a GB Deaf International Footballer as a football coach has been a real coup for us here at the Trust” said Peter Shears, BFCCST Disability Project Manager “ Ben is an excellent young coach who is learning all the time and has proved a real asset to our team”. Ben currently spends at least one weekend a month away with the GB Deaf Football Squad, in preparation for the World Championships in Denmark in July 2011.

For more information on our Disabilities programme please email: disabilities@brentfordfccst.com