Rochdale AFC Community Trust joins PlaySafe weekend as club strengthens safeguarding commitment
6th October 2026
Rochdale AFC Community Trust has joined organisations across the country in supporting PlaySafe weekend, celebrating the importance of safeguarding and making football a safe, positive and welcoming environment for everyone.
PlaySafe is a national campaign focused on raising awareness of safeguarding across football, encouraging everyone involved in the game to understand their role in creating safe environments for children and adults.
For Rochdale AFC Community Trust, the weekend provided an opportunity to highlight the work taking place across its community programmes and reinforce its commitment to ensuring that everyone who takes part in activities delivered by the Trust feels safe, respected and supported.
From grassroots football and holiday activities to health and wellbeing programmes, disability provision, veterans’ activities and community engagement, safeguarding remains central to the Trust’s work.
The Trust works with participants of all ages and backgrounds, and its staff and volunteers play an important role in ensuring that safeguarding is embedded throughout the organisation.
Updated Rochdale AFC Safeguarding Policy
As part of its ongoing commitment to safeguarding, Rochdale AFC has also updated its Safeguarding Policy, with separate policies now in place for children and adults.
The updated approach recognises that safeguarding requirements and responsibilities can differ depending on the age and circumstances of those involved.
The Rochdale AFC Safeguarding Children Policy sets out the club’s approach to protecting children and young people involved in football and community activities, while the Rochdale AFC Safeguarding Adults Policy focuses specifically on the safeguarding of adults at risk.
Separating the two policies provides greater clarity for staff, volunteers, players, participants, parents, carers and partners, while ensuring that safeguarding arrangements remain appropriate to the people and activities involved.
The policies complement the existing safeguarding procedures operated across Rochdale AFC and Rochdale AFC Community Trust and form part of the club’s wider commitment to creating safe environments throughout the organisation.
Ryan Bradley, Community Director at Rochdale AFC Community Trust and Designated Safeguarding Lead, said:
“Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and PlaySafe weekend gives us a great opportunity to reinforce that message.
“We work with thousands of people across our community every year, from children taking their first steps into football through to adults accessing our health, wellbeing, veterans and inclusion programmes.
“We want everyone who comes through our doors, attends one of our sessions or represents Rochdale AFC to feel safe, welcomed and respected.
“Updating our safeguarding arrangements and separating our policies for children and adults is another important step in making sure our approach is clear, robust and appropriate for everyone we work with.
“PlaySafe isn’t just about one weekend. It’s about creating a culture where safeguarding is part of everything we do, every day.”
The Trust will continue to work closely with Rochdale AFC, its staff, volunteers, participants, families and community partners to promote safeguarding and ensure that concerns can be raised, listened to and acted upon appropriately.
Together, Rochdale AFC and Rochdale AFC Community Trust remain committed to making football a safe place for everyone.
