NEXT week will see Norwich City Football Club, in conjunction with main sponsor Aviva, hold its fourth Disability Awareness Week.

The aim of the initiative is to highlight the wide range of facilities and services for supporters at Carrow Road as well as the opportunities to participate in a variety of sporting activities through the Ability Counts programme run by Football in the Community.

The week is to include a series of inspiring events leading up to City's league fixture with Swansea City on Saturday, November 15.

Activities start on Wednesday, November 12 with a disabled supporters forum at Carrow Road. This is a ticketed event giving disabled fans the opportunity to ask their questions to a Norwich City panel including Club Chairman Roger Munby and City player Adam Drury. Paralympian and Aviva employee Danny Nobbs will also be on the panel as a special guest to share his experiences of the Beijing Paralympics.

Key customer service staff will also be on hand to answer queries about disabled matchday access and how to get involved in football with the Ability Counts scheme. Hearing loops will be available on the evening as well as a British Sign Language interpreter.

The forum is free to attend but entry is ticket only, these are available from the Carrow Road ticket office or by calling 0844 826 1902. The event opens in the Russell Allison Lounge from 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

On Thursday, November 13, Football in the Community are holding the first stage of their Grand Prix League at Power League in Bowthorpe, Norwich. This year around 200 children from 14 Norfolk and Suffolk special needs schools will be playing in the 5-a-side tournament between 10am and 1.30pm.

The final activities of the week will take place around the Swansea City matchday on Saturday, November 15. Carrow Park will be the venue for what should be a passionate East Anglian derby match between deaf players representing Norwich City and Ipswich Town. The match will kick off at 1.30pm on the Carrow Park training pitch adjacent to Carrow Road. Anyone interested in learning more about Ability Counts courses should contact Darran Lovell from FITC on 01603 761122.

Attention will then turn to Carrow Road ahead of the Championship game with Swansea. Norwich City players will be wearing Ability Counts t-shirts and a guard of honour consisting of the Club's Under-17 Centre of Excellence and adult Player Development Squad will welcome both Norwich and Swansea teams out on to the pitch.

Then at half-time players from the Centre of Excellence will take part in the Aviva skills test on the pitch and members of the Player Development Squad will present their trophies to the crowd as current champions of both Eastern Regional leagues.

For further information on the week and services the Club can provide disabled supporters, a special programme has been produced and will be distributed free inside the matchday programme 'On The Ball' at this Saturday's match with Preston North End.

Aviva are supporting the whole week of events as well as continuing their sponsorship of the Club's Community Stand, which is home to the disabled facilities. Aviva's Paralympians Danny Nobbs and Kevan Baker will be attending the Grand Prix activities on the Thursday.

Aviva's Beijing Paralympian Danny Nobbs said: ""Aviva is proud to be part of Ability Counts and the fantastic work it does to raise awareness of disabilities. Our sponsorship of Norwich City is very much about working with the community by supporting important events such as this.

"We're really looking forward to the week's events and being part of something so inspiring. Our thanks go out to Norwich City and Football in the Community for all their hard work in putting this all together."

Norwich City Chairman Roger Munby added: "Ability Counts has a universal appeal, represents a challenge to all and directs our attention to some of the vital areas that we do as a football club. The principal aim is to generate increased awareness of the wide spectrum of disabilities suffered by many in our community and the opportunities open to them.

"The week will also showcase some of the facilities and services for disabled spectators at Carrow Road, as well as those for the disabled who wish to take part in a variety of sports.

"I would like to congratulate and thank Aviva, who have provided financial support to enable this programme and whose determination to making this sponsorship work is exemplary."