Award For Clarbeston Road Club

Clarbeston Road football club has been awarded the insport Club of the Month accolade. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

insport is an identification and accreditation process – introduced by Disability Sport Wales – which any sports club can go through to show they are committed to providing and delivering inclusive sport. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Originally formed in1960, Clarbeston Road AFC supports the Cleddau Warriors Disability football team. It was also the first Pembrokeshire League club to be awarded the insport Club Ribbon for its commitment to providing sporting opportunities for disabled people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Clarbeston Road AFC has been supporting the Cleddau Warriors for over 10 years and has worked closely with Angela Miles, Pembrokeshire’s County Council’s Disability Sport Development Officer for much of that time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Angela introduced the club to the insport programme and its club accreditation scheme which supports clubs in ensuring they are adopting good practice in their approach to inclusion and community participation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

insport’s impact on the club’s development is shown through its strengthened governance, the training that is provided to volunteers and through the communication to players and families. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For example, a comprehensive ‘Welcome Pack’ has been developed for all players and parents, which has been successful in improving awareness of the club and its activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Clarbeston Road chairman, Steve Brown, said: “The club and volunteers have benefited hugely from supporting disability football. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It has been very rewarding to see young people, who usually face difficulty in participating in mainstream sport, develop their potential and grow in confidence after being given the opportunity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We encourage clubs to speak to their local Disability Sport Development Officer to get advice on how they too can become involved and encourage participation.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The club are planning to re-develop their site by building new changing room facilities, a club/community room, as well as a brand new all-weather pitch. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Steve went on: “We have planned our facilities with disability access and participation as key priorities in order to ensure we are able to host the Cleddau Warriors and disability tournaments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Angela Miles said the club had always provided coaches for Cleddau Warriors AFC and it was good to see the two clubs coming together to form one team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It would be great if some of the Cleddau Warriors players represent Clarbeston Road in the Pembrokeshire League in the near future” she added. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Michelle Daltry, Disability Sport Wales Partnership manager, said: “I am delighted to award Clarbeston Road AFC the insport club of the month award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The club, its players, workforce and wider community have worked extremely hard to ensure that disabled people are given an exceptionally positive experience of football. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I hope that this award will inspire the club to continue to grow and act as a motivation for other clubs in Pembrokeshire to follow their example of inclusivity.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​