Rollerside's Dick Cochius - a disabled supporter of Vitesse Arnhem - sent the following report of his recent visit to Feyenoord in the Netherlands.

When Vitesse Arnhem FC plays away matches, they try to take as many disabled supporters with them as is possible. Rollerside – Vitesse’s Disabled Supporters Association has a close relationship with the club’s supporters club. The supporters club arranges transport for all travelling fans, and their policy is to use buses that can carry both disabled and non-disabled supporters together and inclusively. The supporters club has a standing contract for an adapted coach which is always available for when Vitesse plays an away match.

On Sunday 21^st April, Vitesse had an away match against Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Four tickets were available for Vitesse’s travelling disabled supporters, and they were confident that this could have been filled three times over. A total of 16 buses left Arnhem, one of which included four wheelchair users and their personal assistants. Vitesse always travels with a number of volunteer stewards from the club, and they offer their support to the club’s disabled supporters however they can. They helped the supporters to the wheelchair platform inside the De Kuip stadium, which unfortunately meant that the travelling disabled supporters could not sit with their fellow Vitesse fans.

Although Vitesse lost the match, the travelling disabled supporters enjoyed their day and were guided back to their transportation by the volunteer stewards.

Published 23/05/2013