Leicestershire & Rutland County FA (LRCFA) sign off the 2023/24 Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and promote a revised plan of action to co-inside with the launch of the 2024-2028 strategy.

LRCFA produced their first Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) as part of their efforts to obtain the Equality Standard for Sport in the 2023/24 season. 

Professor Surinder Sharma, Chair of Leicestershire and Rutland County Football Association and Chair of the Inclusion Advisory Group (IAG) for the 2023/24 season said,
“2023/24 has been an exciting year for us in the implementation of EDI. The formation of our first DIAP led us to achieving some big milestones that we can build on going forward. These include applying for and being awarded the Preliminary Level of the Equality Standard for Sport and the introduction of a Discrimination, Investigation and Mediation Support Officer as a successful pilot. The Association deemed the pilot so successful that we made the role a permanent position and expanded the roles reach for the 2024/25 season.”

The 2024/25 season has also seen the recruitment of a new Inclusion Advisory Chair, Erin Pruett. Erin Pruett expressed her enthusiasm for the role, she said: 
“I’m honoured to join the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA as Inclusion Director and Chair of the Inclusion Advisory Group.

“Football has the power to bring people together, and I am committed to making it an inclusive space for everyone, regardless of their background. I look forward to working with the team to break down barriers and ensure that football is a sport for all."

Erin will work with the staff team and IAG to bring the 2024/25 DIAP to life.     

LRCFA is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion which is embedded across all the Association’s activities to ensure that football is representative of all our local communities. This commitment is put forward in our soon to be released Strategy for 2024-28.