I follow the 3 great team sports, Rugby Union, cricket and Association (as the rules were formulated in Cambridge) and in 10 days this month I witnessed the access at 3 great grounds.
First there was the Trent Bridge test match, the Nottingham ground has buildings of mixed ages and room for disabled spectators at several places. During one visit I was given rather inadequate seating, where the person I attended with could sit any nearer than 15 metres from me, but on this year's visit I had a prime seat. In a new stand, with lift service to every floor, we sat 5 metres from the commentary box and at the same level. This did mean the seating fell from us at a steep angle, giving a slight sense of vertigo (though there was railing to prevent sudden falls). We sat listening to the commentary on pigeons, buses and Spitfires and seeing the action from the same perspectives as Aggers, Boycs, Angus Fraser and Sunil Gavesker, who we bumped into in the lobby behind the stand.
In fact the only inaccessible place was the pitch, which had been a duckpond the day before and so we did not see those past and present Northamptonshire greats Panesar, Kumble and Ganguly until 3pm. So a ground with mixed access, but certainly some positions which could not be faulted.
The next trips were to Twickenham, to see first Wales then France prepare for the World Cup. Twickenham welcomes disabled guests, providing free tickets, good parking and a range of facilities. Up to 18 months ago the stadium had 3 main seating areas, alongside the pitch, in the corners at the top of the lowest tier of seating which was a wonderful view and well sheltered and on the halfway line underneath the second tier of seating. Yet with the completion of the ground seemingly the first tier corner seating has disappeared, leaving only the climate exposed pitchside seating. Pitchside seating is good because you see the players up close, but because it is slightly lower than pitch level, once the ball is away from you, you have no perspective of where the ball is, or how the players are in relation to each other. I'm surprised the Twickenham access consultant, planning and building control officers allowed this removal of choice as Part M of the Building Regulations say no adaptation of a building can be made that worsens disabled access.
Then the last visit was to the `New' Wembley to see the forces of good, Chelsea Football Club play the hoards of hell, the Red Devils of Manchester United. Its not an impressive stadium, being in an industrial estate and bland on the outside. Yet for the disabled visitor it is superb, parking has to be booked ahead, but all the approach footways are smooth, signage is clear and obvious, all gates have disabled entrances, all foodstalls have disabled queuing points, the area between the gates and through to the seating is wide, high and not claustrophobic and the seating has great comfort and views for disabled person and companion alike and out of the elements. I could not find a fault with my day and Chelsea showed the charity element of the Community Shield, but allowing MU to win on penalties.
The Cambridge premier grounds of Fenners, Grange Road and the Abbey Stadium all match up in their own ways to these national ones, does anyone have any comments (I have been to them all infrequently).
One of the first people I spoke to was Amanda Kleherer from the charity Inspire, which organised the event. She says: "Funky Flamingo isn't about being different or exclusive," she says. "It's meant to be just as much fun whether you have a learning disability or not. I've got friends who came to our club night and didn't know anyone who had a learning disability before, but they ended up loving it."
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