Oxfordshire Smokefree Sidelines is a collaboration between the Oxfordshire FA, Berks and Bucks FA, Active Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire County Council and the counties’ local youth football leagues.

We aim to introduce a culture of smokefree sidelines across Oxfordshire to encourage harm reduction to those exposed to smoking. Children and young people are at risk the more they are exposed to smoke and the acceptance of smoking in our society. Furthermore, young people are most at risk of becoming smokers themselves if they grow up in communities where smoking is the norm. The aim of smokefree sidelines is to change social norms and work to prevent the uptake of smoking in young people. One approach to address this is to promote outside spaces used by children and young people as voluntary smokefree areas.

Smoking remains the biggest cause of preventable deaths in Oxfordshire and is known to increase health inequalities within our society. Smoking often starts as a childhood addiction and evidence has shown that most adult smokers started smoking at a young age.

The move for clubs to adopt a smokefree sidelines policy complements existing club policies or supports your club’s desire to create a healthy family-friendly environment. We believe that such an environment and image will be advantageous in attracting new members and positively promoting the club within your local community. 

A survey of local youth football clubs found that 86% thought that smoking on the sidelines where young people play and train is not acceptable and 85% felt it negatively impacted their enjoyment of the game. Two key reasons for not asking a fellow supporter not to smoke on the sideline was that there was a lack of a policy and signage.

Together with Oxfordshire Football Association and youth leagues we aim to:

• Work collectively and individually, to promote smokefree sidelines in order to provide healthy, safe places that give everyone a chance to perform at their best in their chosen sport or activity.
  
  
• To educate members of your club including children and young people about the dangers of smoking and the short and long term health consequences of smoking.  

For agreeing to adopt an Oxfordshire smokefree sidelines policy and as a participating club, you will receive the following support from the above partners:

• Free brief intervention training and information on the initiative
• A pre-written policy for club to adopt
• Promotional material for use in correspondence and marketing materials 
• Free smokefree sideline resources for games and training days in and around the club setting

Adopting smokefree sidelines is not about targeting smokers unfairly, but more asking current smokers to be aware of their visibility to children who may see them smoking. The idea is to encourage smokers to either refrain from smoking during the match or to move away from the side lines and smoke where children and young adults are not present. As a sports club involved in creating positive environments for wellbeing, we want to support our members and supporters who want to consider quitting. This is done through on-going promotion and developing as active role models to the children and young people involved in our club 

For more information or support to quit smoking in Oxfordshire please visit www.stopforlifeoxon.org or  www.nhs.uk/smokefree

Alternatively, phone 0800 122 3790, or text STOPOXFORD to 60777

Oxfordshire FA would like to thank all of our clubs to have signed up to Smokefree Sidelines:

North Leigh FC
Wychwood FC
Banbury United Youth FC
Chalgrove Cavaliers FC
Wheatley FC
Greater Leys Youth FC
Mansfield Road Juniors FC
Carterton FC
Chinnor Youth FCA
FC Brightwell
Ducklington
Banbury United Youth
Chalgrove Cavaliers
North Leigh
Wychwood FC
Rose Hill Youth FC 
Highfield Juniors
Faringdon Town FC
Freeland FC
Ardley United
Charlbury Town Youth
Bletchingdon Youth FC
Heyford Park Football Club
Launton FC & Launton Ladies & Girls FC
Banbury Irish Association
Kidlington Youth FC
Hinksey Park FC
Ardington and Lockinge Youth Football club BBFA
Crowmarsh Youth FC
Bicester Town Colts
Easington Sports FC
Deddington Town Colts
Quarry Rovers 
Tower Hill FC
Garden City FC
Combe Junior Sports
Bampton Town FC
Bloxham FC
Football Bart Academy
Watlington Town FC
Summertown Stars AFC
Oxford City FC
Radley Youth FC
Kennington Athletic
Florence Park FC
Hook Norton FC
Yarnton Blues
Headington Youth
Europa Titans
Botley Boys & Girls FC
Stonesfield Strikers FC
Grove Challengers
Oxford Blackbirds FC
Didcot Casuals
Marston Saints FC
Adderbury Park FC
Bure Park FC
Bletchington AFC
Bullingdon Youth
Chipping Norton Swifts FC
Barton United FC
Chesterton FC