Management Change

Robin Gibson has now been appointed as the Team Manager at Marlborough Town Devs. Robin can be contacted via email rngibson1@outlook.com and his full details have been updated on the contact page.

Player Looking For A Club

Are you looking for a goalie? I have received this request on Full Time from a James Eddy.

I don’t have any further details other than he is looking to join a team. No phone number supplied, but his email is JamesEddySTFC@gmail.com

Please contact James direct if you are looking to add to your squad.

Maria Lai The FA Designated Safeguarding Officer

I know that some of you are also doing the Welfare Officers role as well as Club Secretary and or Team Manager, and therefore would have been on Maria’s mailing list. If you are not, then this is what has been sent to your Club Welfare Officer.

Firstly, I would like to thank you all for signing up for the role of welfare officer within your adult clubs, this is a new mandatory requirement for this season and is equally as important as the youth section so again, thank you.

For those that don’t know me, I am Maria and I am your county designated safeguarding officer. I am here for all CWO’s and am your go too for any help or advice that you may need, no issue is ever too big or small, even if you feel it may be so minor, it may not be, so I would encourage you all to please pick up the phone and ask the question if you are unsure.  

I have seen within the email list, some of you are also CWO’s for the youth section, so thank you for stepping up. Those that are completely new to the role, I just wanted to put the question out there as to what you may need, support, guidance, policies etc?  

I understand that not all of you would have had training in this area, so anything that would assist you in adding the tools to your toolbox to help you with the role, please just ask and I can see what I can do.

Information regarding the NEW mandatory player welfare course for open age teams. I have taken this course, and is really good for you all to complete to give you a little more insight into safeguarding and requirements for open age and vulnerable adults.

The youth section need to complete the welfare officers course before they can affiliate and are added to the systems, this will be the same for you all by season 24/25.

Welfare Officer Event

The first welfare officer event of the season will be held on Wednesday 29^th November 2023, 6:30pm-8:30pm and will be a truly unmissable event for you all to join. The legend ex pro footballer Paul Stewart will be attending and this opportunity is for all welfare officers (including open age).

Paul will be speaking to you all about his story as a survivor of child sexual abuse in football and welcoming any questions after the session. I will also be opening a forum on the night to ask any questions to the county and a chance for you all to meet face to face since before covid. We will also be providing a buffet for refreshments and drinks as I know many of you will be coming from work. 

PLEASE make every effort to attend as this really is going to be an amazing chance for you all to have a real insight into the effects of abuse in football. I have seen Paul speak before and his story is just harrowing. Book your place on the event at safeguarding@wiltshirefa.com or via the link on the website.

As we are already well into the new season, I wanted to send a reminder to all clubs regarding Wiltshire County FA safeguarding thresholds. We have seen a significant increase in the amount of low level concerns that are being raised by clubs, which are poor practice/poor behaviour.

WCFA will only take on cases of which are of serious concern to a child or meet the statutory guidelines and FA protocols, therefore, if any low level concerns are reported to WCFA that do not meet these thresholds, they will be automatically bounced back for the club to deal with. We simply do not have the capacity to continue to investigate all low level concerns and poor practice cases. 

I will endeavour to be at the end of the phone for advice should you require it, so please feel free to continue to call for advice and I will do my best to guide you. I have attached the WCFA low level concern and safeguarding children policy along with the ‘how to report an incident’ guidance.  

If a child is at immediate risk of harm, please call 999.

Thank you all for your dedication to keeping children safe in football.