SF Safeguarding and Welfare News – October 2025
Welcome to our monthly newsletter.
Please pass it on to your Club Welfare Officer and safeguarding staff.
Sport Welfare Officers Self-Assessment and Audits Safeguarding Partners and Other Contacts Training
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Autumn is the busiest time of year for the Sport Welfare Officer Team with lots of national campaigns to raise awareness of welfare and wellbeing topics.
We were really pleased to see some of you for Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week. We worked with with our local Safeguarding Children Partnerships to put on some webinars for parents, carers, practitioners and club staff. If you missed out on these, but would like one delivering to parents and carers at your club please get in touch and we’ll be happy to run one for you.
It was great to promote World Mental Health Day alongside 50 other organisations at an event run by Wakefield Turning Point Talking Therapies. We heard some emotional and powerful talks from the speakers, spoke with lots of members of the public, and even had a go at wheelchair basketball!
For Hate Crime Awareness Week we partnered with Bradford Hate Crime Alliance to record a webinar, raising awareness of hate crime in sport. Rachel Chukwudi gave an overview of what a hate crime is, shared some local and sport-related statistics, and gives guidance on how to report an incident. Nicola and Measha covered active bystandership – what this is and how to intervene in situations safely and effectively.
There’s lots more coming up in November. Take a look below!
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Time for Action Events – 25-27 November
We’re absolutely delighted to be involved in this year’s Time for Action events. These are part of the Yorkshire and Humber Anti-Racism in Sport Group’s commitment to tackling racism within sport and physical activity. The events will take place over three days and are all free to attend:
Day 1 – Rurality, Racism and Reality
Date: Tuesday 25 November
Location: Online via Zoom
Time: Various sessions – 1pm to 8.30pm
Agenda: Featuring Dr Matthew Joseph sharing insight into migration in North Yorkshire, Paula Stainton from York City Foundation sharing their continuing journey as active bystanders.
Day 2 – Waves of Change: Turning the Tide on Racism and Coastal Inequalities
Date: Wednesday 26 November
Location: MKM Stadium, Hull
Time: 6.30pm to 9pm
Agenda: Across our coastal communities, the tides of change are rising. This event brings together athletes, organisations, and community voices to confront coastal inequalities and champion anti-racism in sport.
Day 3 – Celebrate, Learn, Act
Date: Thursday 27 November
Location: Oakwell Stadium, Barnsley
Time: 1pm to 4pm
Agenda: We’ll be celebrating progress that’s taken place so far, with insights from Dylan Hadley of Rotherham United Community Trust on the difference that active bystander training has made to his team.
Jacqui Barrett will speak about intersectionality and how overlapping identities influence experiences of racism. To finish, there’ll be an action-focussed discussion offering practical tips and guidance on making organisations actively anti-racist.
Find out more and book your free place on any of the sessions.
Safeguarding Adults Week – 17-21 November
The overall theme of this year’s Safeguarding Adults Week, promoted by Ann Craft Trust, is prevention. There are different events on every day covering a variety of topics, such as changing the conversation, creating empowering environments, and trusting your instincts. How will you be promoting this at your club or organisation? Let us know!
Our fab Sport Welfare colleague over at Northamptonshire Sport, Lijana, is running some highly subsidised UK Coaching Safeguarding Adults courses during the week, at just £10 per person (usual cost from £44). It’s a great opportunity if you have this one on your ‘to do’ list. Places are limited and will go quickly, you can book a place here.
If you’d like any support around safeguarding adults, please get in touch. We can run workshops, look at your policies, or put you in touch with partner organisations who can help.
Ever felt a bit uneasy going for a run or walking home when it gets dark early? As the clocks go back in autumn, the longer nights can make public spaces feel less safe, especially for women and girls. But what if a whole community decided to do something about it? That’s exactly what’s happening in Wakefield. The town is joining a powerful movement across West Yorkshire to stand up for safety and make sure everyone feels secure, day or night. A series of ‘Reclaim the Night’ events, including a banner-making day, a vigil, and the town’s first-ever protest march of its kind on 27 November. Find out more on their Facebook page.
A lot of Local Authority areas are getting involved in similar campaigns, such as #JogOn, so keep an eye out and get involved where you can.
Anti Bullying Week – 10-14 November
This year’s Anti-Bullying Week has the theme: Power for Good. The week will kick off with Odd Socks Day on Monday, with adults and children being encouraged to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.
If you’re doing anything at your club, please let us know. We know some clubs are doing great youth voice work and getting their children and young people to write their anti-bullying policies. Let us know if there’s anything you’d like to share as good practice.
Nicola Holmes
Senior Sport Welfare Officer
South Yorkshire and Leeds
07714 733650
nicola.holmes@yorkshiresport.org
Measha Harris
Sport Welfare Officer
West Yorkshire excluding Leeds
07714 733636
measha.harris@yorkshiresport.org