Middlesex FA are proud to announce a new initiative, ‘Middlesex FA Safe Hubs’. This project is launching in support of this year’s International Women’s Day and has been developed in collaboration with Middlesex FA’s Welfare Officer Working Group. The Safe Hubs programme also follows the recent pledge from both Middlesex FA and Rectory Park signing up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter. 

With cases of violence against women and girls having increased by 26% in five years, together with recent appalling events, we feel that we have a duty to support our network and facilitate spaces to provide refuge for those in need of support on their onward journey. 

We are introducing this project to our member clubs and organisations, who are now able to sign up and pledge to become their own Middlesex FA Safe Hub, and as part of this, will be provided with their own logo and assets to support with this process. The idea of becoming a Middlesex FA Safe Hub, is to provide a safe space for women and those in need, to help support them in moments of vulnerability or simply support them on their onward journey. Whilst these Safe Hubs will not be providing specialist interventions, staff and volunteers will be supported through the process, so they are equipped to contact emergency services or signpost to specialist services where more help is needed. 

We are conscious that not all of our member clubs and organisations will have their own facilities to provide this programme, however, we will not be missing out those that this may affect. If you are a club not operating in such a space, you will still be provided with your own personalised resources, along with a code message that you are able to share, ‘Ask for Angela’, and a QR code, in which individuals will be able to scan to locate local emergency facilities. This information will be personalised to each club and organisation upon signing up to the Safe Hub programme. 

If your club or organisation is interested in becoming a Middlesex FA Safe Hub, please follow the link here to sign up, this short form only takes a few minutes to complete. Upon receiving our signatories, we will get in touch with the lead contact to outline next steps and will be uploading a live map on our website, which can be accessed at all times to broadcast as to where these Safe Hubs are located across the county and their opening hours. 

If you are also interested to find out more information about the Women’s Night Safety Charter and how to sign up to the pledge, please follow the link here. 

Please contact safeguarding@middlesexfa.com for further information on this programme.