Bolton Wanderers have achieved a Bronze in the EFL Equality Code of Practice.
Over the past year, Wanderers have continued to work towards the required standard of the Code and been assessed on a range of criteria aimed at further developing the club's commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout all aspects of the club.
These include reporting and tackling discrimination, raising awareness and extending education and training, while throughout the 2023/24 season Wanderers also committed to and actioned a series of initiatives and projects to improve the Bolton Wanderers experience for all supporters and the wider community.
In September, we officially opened our Wellbeing Hub which is a space for Bolton Wanderers in the Community to provide information, support and activities in areas including mental health, cancer awareness, community cohesion, disability and women and girls. It also provides opportunities to engage with the wider fan base on a matchday.
Thanks to a grant from the Department for Levelling Up, we were also able to open a Changing Places facility which now provides sanitary accommodation for people with multiple and complex disabilities who cannot use a standard accessible toilet.
And in April, a successful Iftar event was held at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Iftar is the daily fast-breaking evening meal observed by Muslims during Ramadan. Club Chairman Sharon Brittan, Mayor Mohammed Ayub, Imam Imran Hussein and Leader of Bolton Council, Councillor Nick Peel were all in attendance.
Phil Mason, Wanderers’ Chief Operating Officer and CEO of Bolton Wanderers in the Community, said: “We are pleased to have been recognised by the EFL in achieving this award to reflect our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do at Bolton Wanderers.
“It’s important to meet industry standards and going forward we will strive to raise the bar further to gain even higher recognition.
“It’s also a priority for us, as a club, to implement the practices and projects, like those mentioned, that make a real difference to our supporters and the wider Bolton community.
“To that end, we are proud of the extra facilities we now provide at the Toughsheet Community Stadium to help make watching Wanderers accessible for everyone and the good practices we have in place to make our home welcoming to all.”
EFL Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, David McArdle, said: “Our 72 clubs represent communities of people from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds.
“The EFL’s Code of Practice is the foundation on which our work on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is built, providing clubs with a clear framework and setting out exactly what they need to put in place to ensure the club is reflective of the community at all levels.
“The progress being made is very encouraging and the EFL will continue to support and empower all clubs to make a positive impact on their communities and the wider game.”
Initially launched in 2012, the EFL’s Equality Code of Practice was revamped to become a multi-level accreditation scheme at the start of the 2022/23 season, with 46 of the 72 EFL clubs achieving at least Bronze by the end of the 2023/24 season.