North Riding County Football Association is delighted to reveal ‘North Riding Welcomes’ – the Association’s new banner for all initiatives and work carried out to ensure that football is a game that can be enjoyed by all in North Yorkshire and Teesside.

North Riding FA is committed to ensuring that grassroots football is inclusive, with the ‘North Riding Welcomes’ branding to become commonplace across sessions, events, courses and workshops aimed at increasing under-represented groups in football, such as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME); female; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT); disability; older people.

In the Association’s commitment to ensure that football is For All across the region, North Riding FA has recently established an Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB), which will become instrumental in embedding inclusion fully into the County FA plan. In addition, it will enable North Riding FA to consult with the region’s diverse communities and ensure that the services provided by the County FA meet any gaps in provision.

Helena Bowman, Head of Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation and Chair of the North Riding FA Inclusion Advisory Board, said: “We are committed to promoting equality through football across the North Riding. It is important to us that we address inequalities in the game to ensure all members of our community had the opportunity to access football.

“’North Riding Welcomes’ is the start of our journey. It provides a means to promote equality, fairness and respect across the county. Alongside the launch of this new brand, North Riding FA will also be working towards obtaining The FA’s Preliminary Equality Standard.

“We recognise that there is work to do and are committed to support equality in all aspects of the game.”

For more information about ‘North Riding Welcomes’, inclusive opportunities across North Riding or the Inclusion Advisory Board, please contact Andy Clay, Football Development Manager, via andy.clay@northridingfa.com or call 01642 717775.