Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Posting on it's own thread, as hopefully more clubs will follow. The Diamond Sensory Room Airdrieonians are to become the first football club in Scotland with a sensory room at home games, allowing children with Sensory Process Disorders such as autism to attend matches in comfort. The official launch of the facility will be at the top of the table clash with Livingston on 18 February. The sensory room is the brainchild of the club’s commercial manager Dougy Alsop and one of the Youth academy coaches Stevie Burr. Stevie has a son with autism and approached Dougy to see if anything could be done. Only a few weeks later, with the help of the supporters’ trust and other fans, Airdrie will open The Diamond Sensory Room. Dougy said: “The club have worked with the trust and the stadium owners on several projects to make football in the town more accessible for everyone. Sammy’s Shelter, opened a couple of years ago for wheelchair users is probably the most high profile example of this to date.” The trust also funds free season tickets for children in the area, in conjunction with the KitAid charity, where tickets are exchanged for unwanted strips that are then sent to some of the poorest countries in the world. Dougy added: “The Diamond Sensory Room will build on our ‘Football for Everyone’ programme, and provide a safe and comfortable place for autistic children and their carers to watch home matches.” As part of the planning, Stevie and Dougy approached Premiership giants Watford and Sunderland (twoof only three clubs in Britain to have such rooms) for feedback and advice. Peter and Kate Shippeyfrom Sunderland launched a campaign in their home city to provide a similar facility in the Stadium of Light, before setting up the Shippey Campaign, a charity aimed at encouraging all clubs throughout Britain to set up such rooms. Their support and advice on sources of funding has helped steer the project at Airdrie, and both will be guests of honour at the game on Saturday and will officially open the room. Kate said: “We’re really thrilled that Airdrie are going to be the first club in Scotland to have a sensory room. We really appreciate them involving us in this, they’re amazing people in an amazing club and we can't wait to meet everyone.” Her husband, Peter, added: “It’s a massive honour to open the room, we never expected that. It’s very humbling. Lets get Airdrie on the map, with being the first club in Scotland to do this. Great work everyone!” While some equipment has already been purchased, the aim is to raise £10,000 to install specialised accessories in the room. The trust is funding some of this money, while the project team are exploring grants, sponsorship and donations. Indeed, some of the fund raising events are worthy of a story on their own. A-list celebrities Ricky Gervais and Mark Hammill have signed Airdrie strips to help raise cash, and are currently on ebay. Tom Hanks, William Shatner and Eric Idle are some of the others who have strips on the way. The forward thinking trust are also hosting three concerts in the town, including a Justin Bieber tribute in the Town Hall on June 11th, Scottish Rocks band in the Airdrie Workmen’s Club in April, and a Little Mix tribute on November 24th. Some proceeds from these will go towards the room. Airdrie fan Mary Brogan has also set up a just giving page https://www.justgiving.com/cro…/thediamondsensoryroomproject, and is encouraging anyone who can to make a donation. Mary and her son Arran benefitted from the generosity of the Airdrie fans last year, when they came together to create a dream garden for Arran. She said: “Yet again our wee club is proving it has a big heart, by providing vulnerable members of the community with the support they need.” “Huge thanks go to the club and stadium company, who are forfeiting valuable money by giving up one of the hospitality suites for the sensory room. It proves once again that when money is not the only driver, football clubs can play a valuable role in the community.” Dougy added: “We are delighted to be the first team in Scotland to open such a facility, and hope that what we have achieved can be replicated at clubs big and small throughout the country. BT have set up funding for English Premiership teams, but it’s something that can and should be replicated across the board.” Majella Hope is the Senior Group Worker for Sports, at the Hope for Autism Group in Airdrie. She is relishing the opening of the room, and added “The setting up of The Diamond Sensory room will enable local families to enjoy some quality time together in an environment that supports young people with Autism. Football matches for young people with Autism can be a daunting experience - noise levels, crowds and the unpredictability of the game all have the potential to cause Sensory Overload. Being able to view the game from an Autism friendly box would ensure young people have the opportunity to attend games in a more comfortable environment and allow them to experience the joy of football something many families have not experienced together before. This is a fantastic projects will really does encompass the idea of 'Football for everyone'.” Excelsior Stadium have assisted the club and trust in the project, and boss Paul Hetherington said: "Excelsior Stadium are very happy to support this project alongside AFC as encouraging as many kids as possible to support their local team will always be a priority.” Capacity of the room will be restricted to 10 children and 10 parents/carers. Bookings will be taken in advance as demand is anticipated to be high, and enquiries should be directed to both douglas.allsop@airdriefc.com and stevieburr@live.co.uk http://www.ebay.co.uk/…/Signed-Mark-Hamill-Luk…/371865605691 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoda8 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Brilliant guys. Huge well done to all involved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Great to see, hopefully paves the way for others to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamonds2002 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Great to see the club leading the way on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Your Own Socks Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Some really innovative work going on there. The comment about the community role is largely overlooked in the winner-takes-all mentality of our game. Always had respect for Diamonds fans since the day they walked to Falkirk to save their club. A bedsheet served as the crowdfunding tool back then. I'll make a better contribution this time.[emoji386] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 29 minutes ago, Bring Your Own Socks said: Some really innovative work going on there. The comment about the community role is largely overlooked in the winner-takes-all mentality of our game. Always had respect for Diamonds fans since the day they walked to Falkirk to save their club. A bedsheet served as the crowdfunding tool back then. I'll make a better contribution this time. Nice words BYOS - many thanks for whatever contribution you can make. Hopefully many other clubs can follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 Full story, and all links to Just Giving Page, Facebook Page, Mark Hammill and Ricky Gervais signed strips here. http://airdriefc.com/news/2017/02/sensoryroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesadilla Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 8 hours ago, Bring Your Own Socks said: Some really innovative work going on there. The comment about the community role is largely overlooked in the winner-takes-all mentality of our game. Always had respect for Diamonds fans since the day they walked to Falkirk to save their club. A bedsheet served as the crowdfunding tool back then. I'll make a better contribution this time. 8-0 we got pumped too. Utterly brutal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 29 minutes ago, Pesadilla said: 8-0 we got pumped too. Utterly brutal! Pretty sure Austin McCann handled on the line/ball went in net but Ref sent him off and penalty was scored. I was at game but did not walk! Stayed till the bitter end! Will check archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 11 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said: Pretty sure Austin McCann handled on the line/ball went in net but Ref sent him off and penalty was scored. I was at game but did not walk! Stayed till the bitter end! Will check archives. We finished 9th and Clydebank were relegated on 10 points! That was also the season where we somehow managed to beat ICT later in the season 5-1 which is I think their highest home defeat. I was not at that game as I had had enough but it shows how football is such a funny game. Neil Thomson( It was the time of provisional administration due to David Murray's company calling in debt and the season of senior players being cleared out?) , a Canadian international scored 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 9 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said: We finished 9th and Clydebank were relegated on 10 points! That was also the season where we somehow managed to beat ICT later in the season 5-1 which is I think their highest home defeat. I was not at that game as I had had enough but it shows how football is such a funny game. Neil Thomson( It was the time of provisional administration due to David Murray's company calling in debt and the season of senior players being cleared out?) , a Canadian international scored 3. Niall Thomson. Some of us were on the pitch when he scored at the Airdrie end. Some of us were too busy collecting free tickets for the lapdancing club that fell out their pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesadilla Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Just now, Evil Jim Fenner said: Niall Thomson. Some of us were on the pitch when he scored at the Airdrie end. Some of us were too busy collecting free tickets for the lapdancing club that fell out their pockets. I saved many a fiver with those tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 2 minutes ago, Pesadilla said: I saved many a fiver with those tickets. Thanks for the correct spelling. I have just heard Gordon Dalziel on Clyde phone in saying that "we have no budget" to allocate. Hope TW has not decided to pack it in. I know one Livingston fan has claimed that they had a budget of 400,000 so that puts our spending plans in the far distance. He also says MW makes all the decisions on a Saturday so what is exactly the point of Dalziel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamonds2002 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Niall Thomson. Some of us were on the pitch when he scored at the Airdrie end. Some of us were too busy collecting free tickets for the lapdancing club that fell out their pockets. Thoma-hawk was one of the worst players I have ever seen in the diamond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 3 hours ago, Chapelhall chap said: Thanks for the correct spelling. I have just heard Gordon Dalziel on Clyde phone in saying that "we have no budget" to allocate. Hope TW has not decided to pack it in. I know one Livingston fan has claimed that they had a budget of 400,000 so that puts our spending plans in the far distance. He also says MW makes all the decisions on a Saturday so what is exactly the point of Dalziel? I've been a bit concerned about TW too. Probably putting 2 and 2 together and making 5. Things like Jim Ballantynes rather than him writing the boardroom bit in recent programmes I have bought, the suggestion in someone's experience of hospitality that the Ballantynes were there but no mention of TW, no Q and A arranged to replace the one cancelled at Christmas. Hope I'm worrying needlessly but without TW we're finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chlamydia Kid Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Pretty sure Austin McCann handled on the line/ball went in net but Ref sent him off and penalty was scored. I was at game but did not walk! Stayed till the bitter end! Will check archives. Same here. I was there but got a lift- I do enough walking in marching season...[emoji445] [emoji445] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Jim Fenner Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 14 minutes ago, waysider said: I've been a bit concerned about TW too. Probably putting 2 and 2 together and making 5. Things like Jim Ballantynes rather than him writing the boardroom bit in recent programmes I have bought, the suggestion in someone's experience of hospitality that the Ballantynes were there but no mention of TW, no Q and A arranged to replace the one cancelled at Christmas. Hope I'm worrying needlessly but without TW we're finished. Nothing to worry about Lets try to keep this to info on the Sensory room though, and for any other teams who may have questions though. Probably no-one wants another Airdrie thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Sensory room is one of the best things to happen at the club in a long time, well done to everyone who has been involved in setting this up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.