You may have noticed people around the ground in red jackets this weekend with ‘SLO’ on the back. These are newly-announced Supporter Liaison Officers.
I’m not here to do the club’s job for them, so if you want to find out more about the current SLO’s you can click here. The link explains who they are, what they are and where they’ve come from.
The one I’m interested in at present is Heidi Langham, someone I’ve become friends with over the course of the last few months. We’ve shared Warren Ward’s bus in the past to away games, never actually sitting and having a conversation but building up something of a (hopefully) mutual respect on social media.
Her role is perhaps the one that is most crucial in my eyes, certainly given the recent furore wheelchair users allegedly left in the rain at Sincil Bank. She will be looking after disabled fans, acting as a point of contact for them and being highly visible on match days to help with their queries. One imagines that will be for both home and visiting fans, the sort of role that might have defused the situation at the Chesterfield game.
Heidi is also heavily involved with LISA, the Lady Imps Supporters Association, however this is a thoroughly independent role. There is a LISA representative on a match day, but then there is also an away contact and one for visiting fans. They’re also looking for two more over the coming weeks, read the link above if you’re interested in getting involved. I wonder if there is going to be an SLO for people with ginger beards, as we’re multiplying week by week!
Back to Heidi. I opened something up for discussion the other day, that two high-profile members of LISA from a team of four SLO’s might not be entirely representative of the current fan base. I didn’t do this to be critical, but I knew some would be thinking it and it’s better if these things are discussed and fears allayed. Of course, her being independent changes things significantly, and I spoke to Heidi about her role as the SLO for the disabled and how it was separate from her profile within LISA.
“I expected this kind of discussion, it’s a question I asked the club myself, because I knew how it would look. I am a part of LISA, but I also have been involved with people with disabilities all my life. Personally and professionally. It’s no secret that my son Jacob, whom accompanies Larry and I on match days has a severe learning difficulty and autism. I myself have a disability that I hide from the world as best I can, but it affects every aspect of my life.”
Heidi also asked for support and help in her new role, confessing to not having all the answers at present.
“I am passionate that disability isn’t just about wheelchair users and the Bridge McFarland stand, I have so many ideas to help make the match day inclusive and accessible to everyone. I don’t profess to know it all, far from it! I will need lots of help and support and I hope that I can win over a few of the sceptics. I really hope I can earn the trust and support of yourself and others. It won’t be easy, I’m sure I will take a lot of flack, but hey! I’m a big girl!”
I don’t know the other SLO’s personally, nor do I know what their remit is, but I do know that inclusive facilities and access for disabled people is a real topic of conversation within the game at present. Over at Lincoln United they’re building new facilities and we were the subject of some rather unfair reports a couple of weeks ago. However, with someone as passionate and honest as Heidi involved, someone who has experience of dealing with people less able than I, I’m sure we’re heading in the right direction.
What I would urge is anyone who still feels the current SLO’s are not representative enough to contact the club immediately. Remember, negativity achieved nothing and if you feel you are not represented, the group you attend games with isn’t or you just feel you want to wear a red coat on match day and have people say hello, get in touch.
I wish all of the SLO’s, especially Heidi as I know her well, all the best. It might be a new addition to the match day experience, but it is one that should benefit those it is intended to benefit. Surely, anything that makes Lincoln City more accessible for everyone is a good thing, isn’t it?
I was on holiday in Wales a couple of weeks ago and managed to get to Swansea v Huddersfield. If we do move to a new ground I think the Swansea model for disabled fans is one to look at. They have virtually the full perimeter at the front of the upper tier. This obviously needs lifts, but they are under cover, have loads of room, and in no way affect the able bodied fans. Another unrelated point from this visit is the subject of segregation – there was none. Equally there was no trouble, no excess of stewards or police. Maybe premier league rules are different, but it certainly worked on this occasion at least.