We have a zero-tolerance approach towards discriminatory language and behaviour. We actively promote equality and celebrate diversity as demonstrated through our work towards achieving the to Premier League Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Standard, and our support of a range of campaigns including: Level Playing Field; Rainbow Laces; Football vs Homophobia; Kick it Out, and our own ‘One Club and One Community Against Hate Crime’ Campaign.
Huddersfield Town Football Club plays an integral role within the local community. We are proud of our reputation of creating and developing community cohesion throughout the town and the wider locality. Football itself plays a unique role in bringing people together from a wide range of different communities, and can provide opportunities for all sections of the community to engage with the Club and participate in the community programmes provided by our charity, Huddersfield Town Foundation.
We wholeheartedly advocate that everyone, regardless of background and any protected characteristic is welcome at the Club, and we expect all stakeholders to behave towards others in a manner consistent with the principles of respect, tolerance and fairness.
Thornhill Dental are Patrons of our Terriers Together programme.
Hear it, Report it
If you hear anything at Town matches that makes you feel uncomfortable or you believe qualifies as abusive behaviour, you can contact our report line. You can text the number giving a brief description of what you’ve heard or seen and the stand, row, and seat number where possible.
Let’s kick discrimination out of football – together.
Match day incident supporting number: 0774 1528 949
Email: supporterservices@htafc.com
Kick It Out: 0800 1699 414
Email: info@kickitout.org
You can also report discrimination to Kick It Out via their app or via the online reporting form on their website.
Keep up to date with the organisation’s work at the following:
Twitter: @kickitout and @kickitoutreport
Facebook: @kickitoutofficial
Instagram: @kickitout
Website: www.kickitout.org
You can find our Hate Crime Policy by CLICKING HERE.
Safeguarding
The Club believes that the general well-being and welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk who are involved with the Club in any way, is of paramount importance.
Therefore, the Club will provide a safe setting for any child or young person under the age of 18 or adult at risk. It encourages best practice in safeguarding children and adults at risk matters in a spirit of partnership and openness with all children, adults at risk, their families, and local agencies.
The Club will promote good outcomes in terms of health, development and educational achievement alongside football and sporting excellence. It will encourage everyone working for the Club to recognise the significance of ethnic and cultural diversity.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone who has contact with children, young people and vulnerable groups, we provide a positive environment, enjoyable experiences and to protect from harm. The Club safeguarding policy provides details of different types of abuse, guidance on identifying issues and procedures and support for use by staff and volunteers.
Mandatory legislation and best practice underpin the activities which are available at the Club and this policy will help to ensure that responses to activities and issues are consistent considering local authority guidance, law and individual needs across our community.
The Safeguarding and Adults at Risk policies will be evaluated and reviewed annually and will be subject to Board approval to ensure they remain in line with statutory guidance and relevant to the work of the organisation. All other policies and procedures are reviewed regularly to ensure they are in line with current guidance and good practice.
To view the Club's Safeguarding Policy in full, click HERE.
Details for reporting safeguarding concerns are shown below:
Any concerns including Matchday and Club matters: Karen Crosland (karen.crosland@htafc.com)
Concerns regarding the Academy: Adam Powell (adam.powell@htafc.com)
Concerns regarding the Foundation: Jackie Edwards (jackie.edwards@htafcfoundation.com)
If you are worried or concerned that a child is at immediate risk of harm then please contact the Police via the 999 service.
Additional information regarding safeguarding can be found here: https://www.kirkleessafeguardingchildren.co.uk/
Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing
As part of our Terriers Together work, health, mental health and wellbeing are of the utmost importance to the Club.
Creating a useful document that will act as a directory for support with links to all relevant local and national resources, it is free to access via the link below!
TERRIERS TOGETHER HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DIRECTORY.
Equality and Safeguarding Working Group
Our internal Equality and Safeguarding Working Group is made up of employees at all levels of Huddersfield Town Football Club and the Huddersfield Town Foundation, whose role it is to ensure that all our policies and practices are both inclusive and accessible.
The Club’s Equality Lead is Zoe Shackleton, HR Manager.
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David Threlfall-Sykes - Marketing and Communications Director |
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Zoe Shackleton - HR Manager |
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Robyn Kennerdale - Head of Supporter Services |
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Siobhan Atkinson - Town Foundation Chief Executive Officer |
| Raj Bains - Content Manager | |
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Karen Jagger - Football Administration Manager |
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Karen Crosland - Head of Safeguarding |
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Gina Buckley - Head of Ticketing |
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| Joe Scargill - Premier League Kicks Manager | |
| Dan McGeachie - Head of Partnerships and Business Development | |
| Ellie Reynolds - COmmercial Sales Executive | |
| Alison Bamforth - HTAFC Women Team Chair |
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion External Advisory Group
In 2019, the Club formed an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion External Advisory Group (EDI EAG) made up from members of the public who reside in our diverse communities and who act as a ‘critical friend’. The EDI EAG forum provides an opportunity to engage with our independent advisors, and to consult and discuss the impact of Town’s equality work across the local communities surrounding the Football Club and Foundation.
Equality Action Plan
Our ‘Terriers Together’ Equality Action Plan encompasses the key objectives and associated actions on which we will focus over the next ten years. In determining our priority areas, we have taken account of the equality monitoring data that we collect annually from a broad range of stakeholder groups, which has helped us to identify where we have areas of under-representation in comparison with the demographics of the borough of Kirklees. In addition, we have also focused on how we want to continue to develop our organisational culture and relationships with supporters and other stakeholders. We believe that taking a ten-year approach to our equality, diversity and inclusion aims will give us the best chance of success.
While not an exhaustive list, some of our priority actions are:
- To reduce the representation gaps within our workforce, specifically in relation to females, disabled people, and people from culturally and ethnically diverse groups. It is our aim to increase representation in each of these groups by 1% per year, up to 2030.
- To reduce the representation gaps within our supporter base, also in relation to females, disabled people, and people from culturally and ethnically diverse groups, and with a target of 1% increases in each group per year, up to 2030.
- To maintain external accreditations including Disability Confident Leader, Mindful Employer, and Menopause Friendly Employer.
- To introduce an Accessibility Card to complement the Terriers Together wristband scheme for supporters with visible or hidden disabilities.
- To support and promote a range of national and international campaigns that celebrate diversity, including International Women’s Day, LGBT History Month, the International Day of People with Disabilities, Mental Health Awareness Week, Black History Month, World Mental Health Day, World Menopause Day etc.
- To support and work towards fulfilling the principles of the Football Leadership Diversity Code.
- To continue to work towards the Premier League Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS) and to achieve the Advanced Award by 2023.
- To deliver a rolling programme of equality-related training to staff at all levels.
- To work towards becoming a ‘Breastfeeding Welcome’ venue.
- To develop our HTAFC Women’s Network and expand on our initiatives relating to female inclusion.
- To deliver a Female Inclusion and Empowerment Conference in October 2022.
- To ensure equality considerations and standards are embedded into commercial partnership agreements.
CLICK HERE to view the full strategy.
Equality Achievements Report
You can find our Equality Achievements Report for the 2020/21 season by CLICKING HERE.
Terriers Together Ambassadors
Chris Maxwell
Huddersfield Town goalkeeper and Terriers Together Ambassador Chris said:
“Giving time back to our local community is something I really enjoy and find rewarding, and that’s part of the reason why I wanted to become a Terriers Together Ambassador.
“The work the Club of off the field in EDI is really important to me, and I’m happy to help in any way I can, especially when you get the opportunity to visit brilliant places such as Fairfield School.”
Brodie Spencer
Commenting on his role as Terriers Together Ambassador, Brodie said:
“I wanted to be a Terriers Together Ambassador to get a connection with the fans and the local community. I think that’s very important as a football player, as important as the on-field stuff.
"It means a lot to me to give back to the local community and get out and meet different people. The Club have always made it clear to us how much the fans mean to them. Without them, I know that a lot of what goes on within the Academy wouldn’t be possible, so they’re incredibly important to me.
"I’ve been fortunate not to face any discrimination personally, but I’ve had teammates who have, which makes becoming an Ambassador even more important to me. The last thing I would want would be for someone to come to a game and feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. No one should feel like that. Huddersfield Town is a family, we’re all about being together.”
Pat Jones
Speaking about why he volunteered to become a Terrier Together Ambassador, Jones said:
“I wanted to become a Terriers Together Ambassador as I think it’s really important for me to show my appreciation of our fans and local community away from my duties as a player. Football is about so much more than what happens on the pitch, it’s more than just a game – it’s a lot of people’s main focus in life.
"It’s a very diverse sport and it should be something that’s enjoyed by everyone with no sort of discrimination. That’s the beauty of football - people from all sorts of background, no matter what you look like or what your race or religion is – you can enjoy 90 minutes of football because it brings people together.
"As players, I don’t think we always understand that we’re in a privileged position and that people look up to us - you walk into a school, and you see loads of children and that could inspire one of them to take up football, and then you’ve had a difference on someone’s life. I really feel like I can make a difference within our community, and so becoming an Ambassador is very important to me.”
Terriers Together Inclusion Room
The ‘Terriers Together’ Inclusion Room is a safe space in which different groups of supporters can attend our home fixtures and feel confident that their individual needs will be catered for.
We recognise that not all supporters are able to attend matches if they have no alternative but to sit in the main stands. The Inclusion Room enables our valued supporters to watch a match from inside, with the option of moving to the outdoor seating if this is preferred.
CLICK HERE to find out more about the space.
Women's + Network
Huddersfield Town's Women’s + Network formed in 2021, starting with nine founding members comprising both staff and supporters. The original premise of the network was for the members to undertake research to gain insight into female experiences in football, and to implement changes to increase female representation, inclusion, and engagement at and around the game.
Since its public launch in March 2022, the Women's + Network has grown and now has over 60 members, all of whom are playing a key role in opening up dialogue between supporters, staff, and stakeholders of all genders and from all backgrounds to champion, enhance, and celebrate female experiences with the Club.
The group meets at least quarterly and the members are providing valuable insights into their experiences as women attending matches, and as allies and advocates of female inclusion. We have had fantastic guest speakers at our gatherings, covering topics such as menopause and HRT, wellbeing, life as a professional sportswoman, and domestic abuse. Network members also had the opportunity to give their feedback directly to Kevin Nagle, our Chairman and owner, at a special afternoon tea that took place in January 2024.
The Women’s+ Network is not just open to people who enjoy watching football; it is open to anyone as an inclusive and supportive forum in which to make friends and to experience a different side of a football environment. We recognise that not everyone wants to or is able to attend our matches, and we are keen to offer alternative means of engaging with us, which the Women’s+ Network provides. As a Club that is firmly rooted in the communities of Kirklees, we offer a safe space for people of all genders to contribute to making Huddersfield Town as welcoming and inclusive of everyone as possible. We look forward to meeting many more new members in the future.
HTAFC Supporter Groups
We work alongside the following supporter groups on our equality actions and objectives.
Huddersfield Town Supporters Association
HTSA is an independent and democratic trust that seeks to represent the interests of Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Town Women supporters. HTSA provide supporters with a line of communication to the Club and football governing bodies and lobby on supporter’s behalf. They also represent supporters’ interests in the wider community and are involved in a variety of equality related initiatives such as Women at the Game and On the Ball.
Email: contact@htsa-web.com
Website: www.htsa-web.com
Twitter: @officialhtsa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuddersfieldTownSupportersAssociation
Instagram: www.instagram.com/insta_htsa/
Huddersfield Town Disabled Supporters Club (HTDSC)
HTDSC are an enthusiastic, fun and friendly group of disabled Huddersfield Town supporters who liaise with other disabled fans both home and away to provide feedback and work with the Club to promote an inclusive match day experience. For more details on the work they do and their meetings please click here Huddersfield Town - DISABLED SUPPORTERS (htafc.com)
Email: dave.heatherill14@gmail.com
Telephone: 07934 458650
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HTDSC
Proud About Town
Huddersfield Town are delighted to introduce our LGBTQ+ ‘Proud About Town’ group this Pride month (June 2023), as we aim to make everyone feel welcome at the John Smith’s Stadium.
June is Pride month and we are excited to be launching our new LGBTQ+ group, ‘Proud About Town’. LGBTQ+ inclusion is integral to our ‘Terriers Together’ Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy and we have taken our time to evaluate existing initiatives in this area and assess whether they are having the reach and impact we would like.
‘Proud About Town’ represents a new era for the Club in terms of welcoming our LGBTQ+ supporters and allies into our environment. Essentially, we are starting with a blank canvas, and we are keen to work with all members of the LGBTQ+ community in Kirklees to develop ‘Proud About Town’ into a group that meets regularly and helps us to progress our work to ensure any homophobic or transphobic abuse and discrimination are prevented and addressed as necessary.
Huddersfield Town has strong connections with Pride and LGBTQ+ history, and we were proud to support and take part in the re-enactment of the Pride 81 march through Huddersfield in July 2022. Pride 81, the UK’s first national pride march, took place on 4 July 1981 in Huddersfield, and started from the Club’s old Leeds Road ground. We were delighted to be involved in the 40th anniversary celebrations and to be part of the project known as ‘The Day the World Came to Huddersfield’.
If you would like to be involved in the Proud About Town group, please register your details in the form below, or email zoe.shackleton@htafc.com
Huddersfield Town Foundation Inclusive Outreach Programmes
The Huddersfield Town Foundation team deliver a wide range of inclusive programmes covering sport, education, and other themes. For further details please visit www.htafcfoundation.com.
Diversity Dictionary
Our Equality Working Group has developed a glossary of terms to encourage understanding of ‘Terriers Together’ related terminology across the Club and Foundation, and we encourage feedback to ensure its continual improvement. Click HERE to view.
Kirklees Diversity Innovation Network
Developing diversity in Kirklees together.
The Diversity = Innovation Network is a group of employers and businesses in the Kirklees district that is focused on reaping the opportunities of the diversity advantage in the labour market and enterprise. Joining our network is a great way to share best practice, network and build up a knowledge base of EDI initiatives and training opportunities.
Muslim Athlete Pledge
Huddersfield Town are pleased to have signed the Muslim Athlete Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to equality and diversity for all.
Created by Nujum Sports, the pledge is a commitment to further recognise Muslim needs in the sport, as well as the Club, in order to help address them.
Click HERE for more information on the Muslim Athlete Pledge!
Menopause Friendly Employer
Huddersfield Town are proud to be the first football club to be a fully accredited Menopause Friendly Employer, an accreditation through which we have demonstrated our understanding of the effects that menopause can have in the workplace, raised awareness, and put support in place for those who need it.
We have a comprehensive Menopause Policy, covering roles and responsibilities, and the range of possible adjustments we may make for anyone experiencing menopausal symptoms.
We are committed to catering for all our employees’ health and wellbeing needs, and by working in partnership with Henpicked on the Menopause Friendly scheme, we have implemented practical ways to support our colleagues, and we have provided mandatory Menopause Awareness training for all our staff. We are very proud to be leading the way in breaking down the taboos often associated with the menopause and that this work is integral to our ‘Terriers Together’ Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy and female inclusion aspirations. Feedback on this important work has been well-received:
"I am proud to work for a company that is at the forefront of best-practice in relation to the menopause. In my experience, so many people shy away from talking about the menopause, which can make it difficult to access help and support. In our culture, everyone is committed to reducing and removing stigma and encouraging discussion on topics that might still be considered taboo. I know I can speak to any of my colleagues and my line manager if I need help to manage my symptoms, whether that is by having the flexibility to work from home, to amend my working hours, or attend medical appointments. I can be honest about my needs without fear of any negative repercussions. I think it’s brilliant that Huddersfield Town is the first football club to be working towards Menopause Friendly Employer status."
"I found the Menopause awareness training very detailed and in depth. It was very beneficial as it allowed me to be much more aware of how colleagues may be feeling when going through this stage in life. I would recommend this course to others as it would benefit them both in the working day and in day to day life."
Increasing female representation and being inclusive of people of all genders in the Club are part of our fundamental equality aims under our ‘Terriers Together’ ethos, and we look forward to continuing our work in this area.
For more information on the Menopause Friendly scheme, please CLICK HERE.
