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English football unites this weekend to promote Play Safe – the national campaign to focus attention of the vital importance of safeguarding across our game.

Nottingham Forest is right behind Play Safe, which is endorsed by the NSPCC and supported across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, men’s and women’s National Leagues and across the grassroots game.

Chloe Bingham, Safeguarding and Risk Manager at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said, “At Nottingham Forest Community Trust, the Play Safe campaign is more than just a message – It is a commitment to the safety and well-being for each and every individual who steps into our community programmes. Safeguarding isn’t just an obligation for us, it’s a promise to our community, that we will always be vigilant in protecting our participants by gaining trust,  supporting inclusion, and showing care to those who need us. We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected.

As an organisation in the centre of communities, we always aim to enhance our safeguarding and risk management practices, ensuring that no matter what, our communities have access to a safe space. Accessibility to safety is non-negotiable, and our community programmes must be welcoming to all. Through Play Safe, we affirm our responsibility to safeguard every participant, upholding our own core values of being committed, progressive, and accessible. We aim to ensure that we provide a place where everyone can play, grow, and belong – safely!“

As Sue Ravenlaw, The FA Head of Safeguarding says: “The central push behind this year’s Play Safe weekend is to create awareness among individuals of the vital safeguarding role they can play in football. It really is about Everyone Everywhere, Every Time.

Play Safe weekend is a fantastic way of raising the awareness of safeguarding and putting this at the forefront of people’s minds, not just for this weekend, but throughout the season. This year, we’re asking everyone to know their role in safeguarding and we look forward to seeing clubs at every level of the game showing their support across the weekend, to make sure football is safe, fun, and enjoyable for all.”

Crucially, Play Safe also has the full support of The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group: “It’s essential that everyone in football – no matter if they’re actively involved, or on the sidelines – understands that they have an ongoing safeguarding role to play. Obviously Play Safe is 24/7 and 365, as is reflected in the Play Safe messaging of ‘Everyone, Everywhere and Every time’, but this weekend helps with raising awareness of how everyone can help to create safe and positive football spaces, what inappropriate behaviours look, sound, and feel like and importantly how to report concerns.”

If you have a safeguarding concern, or would like some advice, the person to contact at Nottingham Forest Community Trust is Chloe Bingham at Chloe.bingham@nottinghamforest.co.uk.

On Sunday 29th September, players and staff representing Nottingham Forest in a Premier League Kicks tournament will be displaying the Play Safe armband and Play Safe badges.

Nottingham Forest have Zero Tolerance for all forms of abuse, harassment and discrimination. If you see or hear any form of abuse whilst at the Nottingham Forest match on Saturday, please report it to 80800 and start your message with ‘FOREST’.