Brentford FC offers a Safe Haven for women and girls with support from security staff

Igor Thiago scores the first goal in Saturday’s game against Burnley

Club takes opportunity of Saturday’s home game against Burnley to promote safety of women and girls

Brentford FC’s home match against Burnley on Saturday 29 November, which it won 3-1, was dedicated to raising awareness of women’s safety.

READ ALSO: Brentford 3 Burnley 1 – Thiago’s late double breaks Burnley resistance

The Metropolitan Police had a promotional bus parked outside the stadium so officers could speak to fans about their Violence Against Women and Girls plan.

The Club organised a ‘walk and talk’ with local police and ‘bystander awareness’ training for fans, which aims to ’empower and equip supporters with tools to safely step in if they witness harassment or abuse, which can help disrupt such incidents’.

Brentford has also created a ‘Safe Haven’ managed by trained security staff where ‘any member of the public who feels vulnerable or needs help’ can get support.

Safe Haven staffed by security 24/7 on Lionel Road South; Photograph Brentford FC

Save Haven staffed by security staff 24/7

‘The club’s west stand security hub, which is located on Lionel Road South outside the stadium, will provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year’, say the Club.

The space will be resourced by security staff who have received bespoke training provided by the Safer Business Network, which will equip staff with relevant skills and expertise to recognise vulnerability and how to offer help to those who need it.

Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium has now been accredited as a Safe Haven by the Safer Business Network.

They define a ‘Safe Haven’ as are dedicated spaces of support, which help people with their onward journey, providing various forms of assistance, such as contacting emergency services, phone charging facilities, calling a taxi or reaching friends and family.

‘This Safe Haven accreditation is part of Brentford’s commitment to ensuring fans and those in the community, particularly women and girls, feel safe in the local area all year round’, say the Club.

Jon Varney, Chief Executive, Brentford FC; Photograph Brentford FC

Jon Varney – Commitment to create inclusive and safer environments for women and girls, not just on a matchday but every day

Brentford’s chief executive Jon Varney said:

“We are a club that sits in the heart of the community, and it is vital that we are able to support our fans and those living in the local area. In creating a Safe Haven space at our stadium, we are ensuring there is help available for anyone at any time of day.

“This builds on the wide-ranging work we are doing with fans and partners as part of our continued commitment to create inclusive and safer environments for women and girls, not just on a matchday but every day.”

Eren Bessim, training and development manager at the Safer Business Network, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Brentford Football Club as the latest venue to become a Safe Haven. As a club deeply embedded in its community, Brentford continues to lead the way in championing safety, inclusion, and wellbeing both on and off the pitch.

“Brentford FC is also a proud supporter of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, reinforcing its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and making the Gtech safe for all.

“Their leadership and passion for creating safer spaces make them a powerful advocate for this initiative. We look forward to working closely with Brentford as part of our growing Safe Haven network.”

Brentford’s first team men’s players, Fábio Carvalho, Mathias Jensen and Ellery Balcombe have also been raising awareness of women and girls’ safety.

On White Ribbon Day this week, the annual awareness day of the prevention of gender-based violence, the club released a short video in collaboration with the British Transport Police. The video shares steps on how we can intervene in incidents of harassment that may occur on the rail network.

The club set up Ask for Angela in the Gtec stadium this season so that any woman or girl in our stadium can discreetly seek support from staff if they are feeling unsafe.

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