Swansea City will host a quiet hour at their Liberty Stadium club shop to help supporters with autism and other disabilities.
The shop - located on the south corner of the West Stand - will be adapted between 5pm and 6pm on Thursday to provide a calmer shopping environment for disabled fans.
The Swans have worked alongside the Swansea City Disabled Supporters’ Association in a bid to ensure the environment at the shop is suited to help those with autism and anxiety.
As part of the hour-long event, television screens will be turned off while there will be no music played over the speaker system.
The shop's lighting will be dimmed while background noise will also be reduced.
Mark Phillips, Swansea City’s disability access officer, said: "As a club we’re delighted to be able to accommodate the request from our Disabled Supporters’ Association (DSA) following our recent
“We understand there are many barriers and challenges when shopping that can cause disabled supporters to avoid visiting the club shop altogether.
“Disabled supporters will be able to browse the all new Swansea City kit and training wear range for the 2019-2020 season and will experience an environment that will not just have a new look, but also a new feel.
“Following consultation with the DSA, televisions will be turned off, music will not be played, background noise will be reduced and the lighting dimmed.
“The purpose of the quiet hour is to provide a calm, less overwhelming environment , as well as a great opportunity for the Club to raise awareness and improve the understanding of Swansea City employees and the Jack Army about the challenges faced by our disabled supporters.
“While quiet hours are beneficial for those with autism, it also helps those who may struggle with anxiety and crowded areas.
“As a Club, myself and Catherine Thomas (Head of Customer Service and Hospitality) regularly meet with the DSA to look at what we can do to improve accessibility.
“The introduction of a quiet hour shows the passion and commitment of both the Club and the DSA to help disabled supporters.”
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