Wanderers Support 2025 Play Safe Campaign

Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers in the Community are proud to backing the 2025 Play Safe campaign ahead of Saturday’s League One fixture against Peterborough United.

Endorsed by the NSPCC, Play Safe is national FA-led initiative that raises awareness on the importance of safeguarding within football and is supported across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclay’s Women’s Super League, Barclays WSL2, National League and across the grassroots game.

The dedicated Play Safe Weekend was the 27/28th September, but with Wanderers on the road at Northampton last weekend and now facing Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon, the club has selected this fixture to raise awareness of the campaign.

This year’s theme – ‘Small Talk is Bigger Than You Think’ – focuses on giving young people a voice. It’s a call to action for every adult in football to create open conversations, ask questions, and actively listen to children.

Joe Shaw, Safeguarding Manager at Bolton Wanderers, said: “Bolton Wanderers Football Club is proud to continue their support of the Play Safe campaign.

“We strive for Bolton Wanderers to be one that is for all and ensure the welfare of all those who engage with our Football Club is of paramount importance – making our home a safe and welcoming environment.

“This commitment can be through a number of different areas. Whether that is on matchdays at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, to the outstanding work conducted by Bolton Wanderers in the Community, to everyday life at the Football Club and our Academy.

“Our long-term vision is for Bolton Wanderers to feel safe for every person that engages with us or is a part of our historic club. We want to ensure that all voices are heard, including gut feelings and thoughts that may not make complete sense at the time.

“We care and want to help others. This long-term strategy is only the beginning, and we look forward to working together and truly embedding a culture that puts the safety of others at the forefront of every decision we make – big or small.

“We are delighted to dedicate Saturday’s game to the Play Safe campaign, and bring awareness to an incredibly important topic of Safeguarding in football.”

As part of Wanderers’ ongoing commitment to safeguarding, one of the club’s Academy teams helped to create the club’s new Safeguarding Policy on how we want Bolton Wanderers to feel. This policy includes:

Keep us safe. Allow us to be looked at as a person and look after each other

We want everyone to be enthusiastic and to be happy and safe

Be welcome, play as a team, because everyone has a responsibility

Be happy, safe and in a friendly environment

Be bothered and think everyone has a voice and gives 100% effort

If you experience or witness anything of concern in regard to safeguarding, please report this through our One Wanderers number on 07542850902 and our dedicated team will respond accordingly.

This number is displayed across our club website, as well as around the Toughsheet Community Stadium – including our LEDs on matchdays – for fans to use appropriately should they need to.

For full details on the Play Safe campaign, please visit the FA’s website by clicking here.