Ledley King joins celebration event held ahead of World Autism Acceptance week

Smiles were the order of the day as 43 young people with autism supported by our Foundation enjoyed a special celebration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of World Autism Acceptance week (2-8 April).

Since September, the Foundation has been delivering sports leadership training and activities to local school students with autism or autistic traits.

The project has been run in partnership with Open Door - a service that specialises in the emotional wellbeing of young people - as part of the Haringey Inequalities Fund. The Foundation has also been delivering one-to-one support for young people with autism, as well as multi-sport holiday camps and after-school football clubs.

Thursday’s celebration of the project saw young people from Brook House, the Vale, Alexandra Park and Duke’s Aldridge Academy schools enjoying painting, caricatures and magic, followed by stadium tours and prize-giving.

Khavalli, 11, from Duke’s, said: “I have had a lot of fun here at the Stadium – it has been a really good day. I think I enjoyed the painting the most, I love painting as it is something I am able to show my family, but the magician was also really surprising. I never believed about magic, but I know about magic now!”

Club Ambassador Ledley King dropped by the event to join in the morning activities and subsequently spoke about the importance of providing support to young people in the area.

He said: “It is vitally important that the Foundation puts these projects on, and it is great to see so many happy faces at the celebration event here today. As a football club, we are all about inclusivity because making people feel accepted is so important. It was fantastic to engage with the young people and continue to see the huge role the Club plays in the community.”

Tony Millard is Deputy Head Teacher of the Vale and explained how the project is at the centre of his school’s careers curriculum.

“Vale students are taught the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to work effectively as a sports coach. They’ve been proud to be able to lead PE sessions for other children in the school, inspired and motivated by the expertise of the Foundation’s coaches.

“Vale students can clearly see a route into coaching as the Foundation team includes a coach with a disability and an intern who used to attend the Vale’s partner school, Duke’s Aldridge Academy.”

Renee Hector, Foundation Programme Coordinator, said: “It’s been amazing to see the progression of these young people since we started working with them and brilliant to celebrate them here at the Stadium today. We hope some of them will be able to go on and support Foundation staff to deliver PE and sports in schools, as we continue to try to change lives and strive for a world without inequality.

“Here at the Foundation, diversity is our strength and inclusivity is our guiding principle. We ensure everyone, regardless of background, has a place to belong.”

The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation is supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballer’s Association. Administered through the Premier League Charitable Fund, the funding helps football clubs to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.