Derby County Community Trust recently started running weekly multi-sport activity sessions for residential pupils at The Royal School for the Deaf Derby (RSDD), thanks to funding from the Premier League Fans Fund.
The Premier League Fans Fund provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game to strengthen connections between them, their fans and local communities.
Ran by Community Trust staff, the weekly sessions at RSDD are attended by residential pupils and are aimed at increasing confidence, fostering friendships and providing opportunities for the children to participate in football.
Last week’s session had a very special visitor - Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.
Zetterström got involved in a range of activities including relay races and a football match, while the students then tested their skills in a penalty shoot-out against the Rams’ number one.
Throughout the session students and staff from RSDD taught Zetterström some British Sign Language (BSL). He learnt to spell his name, say “Nice to meet you!” and at the end of the session, the group taught him how to sign “Come on you Rams!”
The students also gave the shot-stopper a football-related sign name.
The first time you introduce yourself in BSL, you fingerspell your name and after that you can use your sign name as a quicker way to communicate. Sign names are individual and unique to each person and are usually inspired by character or traits for example, their job or hobbies.
Teaching Assistant Barry Clampitt from the Royal School for the Deaf Derby said: "I've been teaching Jacob his sign name, which the children have given him. I've taught him how to spell his name which is fantastic, he's learnt that really quickly."
On having Zetterström at the session Gaby Tabbenor, Inclusion Mentor at Derby County Community Trust, said: "It's brilliant. It's something they're going to be buzzing about for ages I think."
Zetterström said: "Football is the most enjoyable thing in my life and just to experience that with even more people and just see the joy in each and everyone's face, including mine, it was an amazing hour with an amazing group of young people."
Derby County’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Coventry City was dedicated to Level Playing Field’s Unite For Access campaign.
The initiative is an annual period of inspiration and celebration of access and inclusion at sports venues.
Hundreds of sports clubs get behind the campaign each year by dedicating a matchday during this period to Level Playing Field, highlighting the work done for disabled supporters.
The students that attended the session with Zetterström were invited to the game and saw a 2-0 win, with the Swedish shot-stopper keeping a clean sheet.
The Community Trust offer a multitude of activities for people with disabilities. Click here to find out more.
