Tonight’s match against Huddersfield Town is dedicated to the Play Safe Campaign, led by the Football Association and endorsed by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children [NSPCC] to raise awareness of the vital importance of safeguarding across our national game.
Manager Nathan Jones will wear a Play Safe pin-badge for his media interviews, as he did at Hull on Friday night for their dedicated match, while the captains will wear special armbands to raise awareness for the campaign.
The key message of this year’s Play Safe campaign is to highlight the vital role parents and carers play in football and to direct audiences to the FA’s safeguarding course, developed specifically for parents and guardians.
The FA’s online safeguarding course for parents and carers can be accessed by clicking HERE.
Here at Luton we have a thorough safeguarding team, and the Club believes that the general well-being and welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk who are involved with the Club in any way, whether in our academy, on a Luton Town Community Trust camp or here at Kenilworth Road on a matchday, is of paramount importance.
Therefore, the Club will provide a safe setting for any child or young person under the age of 18 or adult at risk.
Luton Town’s senior safeguarding manager Kim Pearce said: “Luton Town Football Club is supporting the FA’s Play Safe campaign and parents and carers can go to the FA website, where the safeguarding section has an online course that is free of charge. We would urge everyone to take part so that they understand more about what safeguarding is and how it protects everybody who takes part in sport at our football club.”
Senior matchday safeguarding steward, Kibriya Rahim, added: “My role at the club on a matchday is to deal with any safeguarding concerns any fans might have, alongside all the other matchday staff who have basic training in safeguarding to deal with any incidents. I am here to make sure that they are all trained and capable of dealing with any situations.
“If anyone has any concerns on a matchday, first of all, you can contact a matchday staff member and they will notify either me or my team. We also have a confidential email address you can use to voice any safeguarding concerns, which is myvoice@lutontown.co.uk.”
For more infomation on the Play Safe campaign, click HERE.