The Shippey Campaign started off the drive to make watching ‘live, league football’ in the UK not only autism friendly, but also sensory friendly too. This involves a room with a view to the pitch, but which also has calming features. A permanent solution to an overlooked problem. Clubs and stadiums in the Premier League, EFL, Scotland etc. are now increasingly providing this through our campaign. Our groundbreaking innovation has enabled accessibility UK wide for those affected by autism and sensory difficulties.
It is all inspired by our son Nathan, now 11 years old. He wanted to go to the Stadium of Light to watch Sunderland AFC, but because of autism he couldn’t cope with the loud atmosphere. Due to the very large crowds and noise, stadiums need to be changed to provide a safe, calm and comfortable environment for those that need it, and our innovation provides that. Nobody had provided a Sensory Viewing Room before now, and it has proved to be a game changer. 
We are now into the fifth year of the campaign, and 14 clubs/stadiums provide these facilities, with more coming. As a result there have been 300+ league games in the UK using these facilities, and this number is rising significantly all the time. Thousands of fans throughout the UK are now benefitting. We now wish to see our idea move into other sports, and this is set to happen very soon.
This week we’ve had email contact from clubs in England, Scotland and Wales with a list of questions, requests and plenty of enthusiasm, which is exactly what is needed.
We can now say that Newcastle United have also opened a sensory room, so a bit of a North-East hat-trick there!
These rooms are vital, as they allow people to attend on a regular basis, not on a one-off basis, and in an environment that is suitable for them and stress free for their family or carers. 
Well done to all concerned. The Shippey Campaign is very proud to make a difference, but we couldn’t do it without the support of so many people, and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. This is making society a fairer and a more inclusive place.