Huddersfield Town works alongside an innovative day care unit for people with disabilities to make sure its facilities meet everyone’s needs on match days.

The Waves centre in Slaithwaite is well-known for its forward-thinking approach to living with disabilities and has been an advisor at the John Smith’s Stadium for a while.

Now some of its members with learning disabilities are working in a refreshment kiosk at the John Smith’s Stadium on match days.

The ground has an accessible kiosk near its area for disabled supporters in the Kilner Bank Stand and the Waves members are working there, helping them build confidence while gaining invaluable work experience.

Huddersfield Town head of supporter experience Robyn Kennerdale said: “Credit must go to the John Smith’s Stadium Head of Retail Lauren Tobin who saw an opportunity for us to work alongside Waves to provide a quality opportunity for their members while at the same time enhancing the supporter experience for our fans located on the accessible platform.

“Waves’ staff and supporters have benefited from training delivered by Lauren and her colleague, Ethan Tatler, and feedback from our first two games has been very positive.

“Having enjoyed an excellent relationship with Waves for a number of years, we were struck by the impactful work experience initiatives they offer and we loved having members join us at our Memorial Garden recently to help us plant new flowerbeds.

“We have always maintained that Huddersfield Town and the John Smith’s Stadium are open to all and we will continue to do the work necessary to ensure that remains the case. We are all looking forward to seeing the partnership continue to flourish over time.”

Waves helps people aged 18 and over with learning and/or physical difficulties to lead full lives with activities including performing arts, baking, making music, arts and crafts, virtual reality games, swimming, walks, horticulture, caring for animals, holidays, work experience and sharing what they do on social media.

It has a charitable side called Making Waves which supports the centre and also provides respite care and overnight breaks when members’ families face a crisis.

Former Huddersfield Town chairman Graham Leslie, who spearheaded the design and building the new Huddersfield stadium more than 30 years, has just released his autobiography called Ahead Of The Curve.

All proceeds are going to Making Waves and the book is selling phenomenally well, already raising more than £10,000 for the charity.

Graham founded Galpharm International pharmaceutical company in Huddersfield which totally transformed the way medicines were sold, saving both people and the NHS a fortune and his company later sponsored the stadium for a decade.

He is one of the UK’s most respected entrepreneurs, philanthropists and business innovators and his book reveals his incredible life story along with sharing some of the secrets of his great success.

The book is available at Waterstones or click here to buy it online.

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.