Autism friendly football is back for the next Wrexham home game

The Wrexham v Halifax Town match on Saturday 10th February is being designated as another Autism Friendly football match.

Wrexham AFC in partnership with the National Autistic Society (NAS Wrexham branch), Wrexham AFC Disabled Supporters Association, and match sponsors GIBBS Steel Ltd are hosting the special arrangements.

There will be an opportunity to go along to the ground in the week before the game to allow familiarisation on the stadium, entrances and car parks. Parking on the day can be provided on The Turf’s carpark thanks to their generous donation – stewarding of that area will be via the Wrexham DSA volunteers.

A dedicated entrance to the stadium is being setup for exclusive use for those with autism and their families. A dedicated section of the family stand (Mold Road side) will be allocated for use.

All autistic fans and those with them will be given the right to move in and out of the stadium throughout the game should anyone require any time out away from the noise of the crowd.

As we reported back in 2013 the club was the first in the country to hold an event of that kind.

The idea behind the Autism-friendly match occurred when Autism Wishes contacted the Wrexham FC Disabled Supporters Association to see if it would be possible to facilitate an Autism-friendly match and as they say the rest is history.

Autism is a lifelong development disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to other people. It can also affect how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that although people with autism may share certain difficulties, each person will be affected by the condition differently.

Previously we have been given stats that say autism affects 1 in 100 people, which is roughly 3000 people in Wales alone and in Wrexham there are over 200 families who have a child or relative who have autism.