Play Safe Weekend

We're Back Playing Safe

Manchester FA delighted to support The FA's new Play Safe campaign

Manchester FA is lending its full support to Play Safe – a national FA-led campaign to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding in football.
Play Safe is being run in partnership with the NSPCC and has the full backing of the Premier League, EFL, Barclays FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Championship. It’s also supported by every County FA and is being run across all grassroots leagues and clubs.

The main element of Play Safe is a series of short films which emphasise the importance of having safeguarding embedded in all we do. The films also explain to parents/carers and children themselves know what to do if they feel unsafe or worried, because nothing matters more than making sure football is safe for everyone, especially children and young people.

 

Manchester FA Chief Executive and Senior Safeguarding Lead Colin Bridgford commented: "It’s vital that we all play our part in whatever role we play in ensuring that football is a safe place to play.  Safeguarding is at the heart of what we do at Manchester FA and must be across the game in Greater Manchester.  We are fully supportive of the Play Safe campaign and we are committed to supporting our Clubs, League, Volunteers, Match Officials, Players and Parents"

Manchester FA Designated Safeguarding Officer, Lauren McCorry said: "I would like to place on record my thanks for the incredible work and commitment shown by Club and League Welfare Officers across Greater Manchester, supporting in providing children and young people are given the best opportunity to play in positive environments. We are asking all clubs that are playing this weekend to capture footage and imagery of what you are doing to ensure that participants 'play safe' - and don't forget to tag us in on socials so we can share your great messaging"

FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham notes: “As a youth team coach, I will be working with my club to ensure we support the Play Safe messaging. I am also pleased that the campaign has the support of the former footballers with lived experience of abuse in football, who are on our Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group. The Group has collectively said: “Learning from the past is crucial, so that we can prevent the horrific experiences that happened to us and so many others in football, from happening again.

“As a group of survivors, we fully support the ethos and important messages that Play Safe conveys – whether to club officials, parents/carers and or vitally, children and young people themselves. Equally important is that Play Safe is not a one-off campaign – it will be used at key points in the football calendar to remind everyone in football, that children’s welfare and keeping them safe, should be at the heart of all that we do.”

As the Survivor Group points out, you’ll see Play Safe appearing at various points throughout the season to keep safeguarding front of mind in football. Together, we want to do everything we can so everyone – particularly children and young people – has a consistently positive experience of our great game.

You can read more about Play Safe on TheFA’s website here.

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