Sporting Memories are winners in the National Dementia Friendly Awards.
Sporting Memories Network, a project the Professional Footballers’ Association has backed, was presented the award for Best National Dementia Friendly Initiative by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the Alzheimer’s Society awards which recognise communities, organisations and individuals who have helped to make their area more dementia friendly. The awards were sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group and supported by The Telegraph.
The network are leading work across the UK to embed the use of sporting memories to promote the mental and physical wellbeing of people living with dementia and memory problems. Weekly groups are held at a variety of locations and clubs involved include Charlton Athletic, Bristol City, Wigan Athletic, Grimsby Town, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. Former Bristol Rovers players Peter Aitken and Tom Stanton run a weekly group at The Memorial Ground.
The Professional Footballers’ Association has sponsored a sporting memories project at Charlton Athletic. Sporting Memories Network trained six volunteers from Charlton’s Community Foundation last month and groups are about to kick off at The Valley.
SMN Director Chris Wilkins “The national award is testament to the fantastic effort of all the volunteers, clubs and partners involved in making such vibrant, fun, friendly and effective projects that really can make a difference. Whilst people initially come to reminisce about football and sport, they frequently become engaged in playing sport, albeit on a more gentle basis and form friendships that really can help tackle issues including dementia, depression and loneliness.”
Over 3,500 memories have been ‘donated’ to the network, these in turn are used to trigger more lively debates and conversations in the groups. To browse some of the stories shared by footballer, stars, celebrities and fans, visit www.sportingmemories.org and donate some of your own to support the work.
In March 2012 the Prime Minister issued a national challenge on dementia - one of the key aspects of the challenge is creating dementia-friendly communities. Since then communities, individuals and organisations have all risen to the challenge and made Britain a better place for people with dementia. Sporting Memories Network is chairing a new task and finish group on sport and leisure as part of the challenge.
More info at www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com/projects
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