THE home game with Wolves this weekend (Saturday 25 October) sees the Hornets officially launch a new commentary service for blind and partially sighted fans at Vicarage Road.

RNIB, HBOS Foundation, V and The Football Foundation - the UK's largest sports charity - have teamed up with Watford FC to launch Soccer Sight.

A presentation will be made at half time where Lesley Anne Alexander (CEO) and Philippa Simkiss (RNIB) will be representing RNIB who run the Soccer Sight scheme - they will officially hand over the audio equipment to Watford's Julian Winter (Deputy Chief Executive Officer).

Watford club staff will tomorrow (Saturday) attended visual awareness training organised as part of the project prior to the game.

The club have received audio equipment which now allows visually impaired supporters to sit in any part of the ground and listen to the commentary which is provided by volunteers from the Hospital Radio team.

The national project has worked with seven clubs in the last three years, and with continued funding for the next three years is working with Watford FC and 11 other clubs to help them make their facilities more accessible to blind and partially sighted football fans through staff training, accessible information and specially designed commentary equipment.

RNIB's Soccer Sight initiative will encourage blind and partially sighted fans to attend games by providing "audio descriptions" of the games through specially designed radio headsets.

Following a programme of commentary training workshops organised by RNIB and the BBC a pool of committed volunteer commentators are working to provide this valuable service at the clubs.

RNIB has already established commentary at all clubs in the Scottish Premier League.

Eleanor Ellison, RNIB National Leisure Development Officer said: "We are trying to improve access to football for thousands of blind and partially sighted supporters to raise the standards of commentary with this winning project - we are delighted to be giving the supporters of Watford every opportunity to enjoy the beautiful game."

RNIB plans include the provision of new radio transmission equipment and headsets at all professional clubs.

Peter Lee, former Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, the UK's biggest sports charity said: "What a fantastic development for the game.

"No-one should be restricted from enjoying football either as a player or a spectator and I am delighted that the Foundation, in partnership with RNIB, is bringing the game within the reach of more people."