Wrexham's Best Signing

Photographed by Ceridwen Hughes

"My name is Kerry Evans, and I am the Disability Liaison Officer at Wrexham Football Club. It's a very positive role." As a child Kerry was severely bullied at school. Being a redhead didn't help and having a limp as well meant she was an easy target. She tried to not let her disability stop her doing anything though. She had a pony and did horse riding right up until the age of 18. "I had very mild cerebral palsy down my right side, from when I was born, went to mainstream school, was able to walk, got married, had a daughter. It was a very, very mild disability. If I got tired, I might trip sometimes, but apart from that it wasn't even noticeable." "When I was 30, just out of the blue, on a Saturday night I collapsed in our kitchen. I hadn’t even felt unwell. I was taken into hospital, they very quickly found out that an area that had already been damaged at birth had now ruptured. I had a cerebral bleed on the brain. I was told I probably would never walk again." "It impacts the whole of my right side, so I am deaf in that ear and all my internal organs on that side are affected. People see me doing my job and sitting here, looking healthy and doing interviews and things and assume it's just the fact that I can't walk, but it isn't. It affects my lungs, bladder, bowel, kidneys, basically all my internal organs. It has taken a lot to get used to it." "Because people assume it is just based around my walking, it is really difficult when I am having a bad day. I don’t necessarily want to go into all the details with them but it can be hard." The uncertainty of her condition was one of the main reasons Kerry took time to decide if she wanted to take on a full-time role at Wrexham AFC. For 5 years she had been volunteering and it had become very much full time. She started at 9 am and would work until teatime every day. I loved doing it, but when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney first came over in October and asked me if I would do the role as an employee, it took me until March to make my decision. People kept saying ‘but you are already doing it’. Kerry worried that the added pressure of being in a paid role would be a problem because of the added challenges she faced with such an uncertain medical condition. In the end though she took that leap of faith. "It's what gets me up in the morning. I am lucky that I do a job I absolutely love."

Kerry had supported Wrexham AFC for a long time as her family had been huge fans and they never used to miss a home game. Her husband also became involved as a volunteer on the Calon radio show on a Friday which he ran for the club for 7 years. Gradually Kerry became more and more involved which led to her doing the voluntary role and now as an employee. Kerry said that she is a much happier adult than she was as a child, due to her experiences of being bullied at school. She feels that her childhood experiences and disability have made her a nicer, more empathetic person. Her situation has also impacted her family, for example, her daughter is now a neonatal special care baby nurse. Kerry believes the fact she was a young carer has shaped her career choice. She has learned to appreciate life, to not take things for granted and to want to help and make a difference. The knowledge and understanding of what it feels like to be disabled allows Kerry to have an important insight for her role at Wrexham AFC. "For people to come to a match and forget about all the difficulties they face is so important. To do that they need an accessible stand and it is what has shaped many of the initiatives. When I started we initially took it slowly and did things like provide blankets and ponchos to those on the front row that get cold and wet. We then thought about how we could make away games accessible. It was really important to me that every fan, regardless of disability, should be able to go to an away game and enjoy their day." The logistics of providing mini buses for away games were a challenge because of the costs involved but Kerry did not let that deter her. She set about fundraising and finding sponsorship. It is because of her tenacity that the ‘Fun bus’ service has been running for several years now. Wheelchair users are not the only people to experience accessibility difficulties. Recognising that there are a wide range of disabilities and accessibility is at times also an issue has led to other initiatives which include autism friendly areas. She worked closely with Kerry Roberts from the National Autistic Society when designing the offering.

"We have implemented quiet walkabout sessions where we invite people to come and see the quiet zone and the sensory hub. We have a double doorway entrance which means you don’t need to go through the turnstiles, if it causes difficulties. Staffing rotas have also been reviewed so that we have the same stewards at the matches ensuring there is always a familiar face. In addition to ear defenders we have also bought weighted teddies and weighted blankets to provide comfort. There is a whole host of things implemented to make the experience positive." Kerry takes such an interest in the fans and their needs that she is often able to offer a bespoke solution to meet their needs wherever possible. The passion she feels for the role shows through the breadth of initiatives. She does not work in isolation as it is important to the club as a whole. When they recently became a Makaton friendly club, even some of the players took time to learn. A hugely popular initiative has been powerchair football. The club now has 21 powerchairs ensuring that it is accessible to even those with the most complex disabilities. It is open to anyone who has a disability and whilst you might not use a powerchair in your daily life, it is used to participate in the sport. "Our Friday night sessions really are making a real difference in people’s lives. Not only is it a sport, it has an important social element. They now have sponsored kit to wear and they were so excited to wear it. Some of the people who come along used to feel really isolated and it is so much more than just a sport to them. It is also important for their families and carers as it is an opportunity to meet others in a similar situation." "I think everyone's good at something. You've just got to find out what your thing is. I never ever thought that being in a football club would be my thing. But it definitely is. It is such a privilege to be doing what I'm doing."

Image courtesy of Kerry Evans