Raising awareness of dementia
Saturday’s fixture against Leyton Orient at Fratton Park is celebrating the history and heritage of the club, and raising awareness of dementia.
And we are asking fans to tell us your greatest Pompey memory using #PompeyVoices on social media.
Fans can also register and share their memory at the club’s official archive site www.pompeyvoices.co.uk
In partnership with the club, Pompey in the Community, The Sporting Memories Foundation and ‘stranded-up-north’ Blues fan Andy Tysoe – aka @dementiaboy – it is hoped fans can gain more knowledge of this disease which affects an estimated 850,000 people in the UK.
Manager Paul Cook took time out from training to back the campaign with James Lang from Pompey in the Community, which runs its own dementia sessions.
The foundation will also be in the Victory Lounge pre-match to speak with fans about the project and there will be a special commemorative picture taken on the pitch at half-time, featuring a couple of members of the group James runs.
Tony Jameson-Allen, co-founder and director of The Sporting Memories Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the club and Pompey in the Community.
“Recalling personal memories of following Pompey, be it a triumphant journey to Wembley or an away trip to watch a ball stick in the mud on a waterlogged pitch on a wet Wednesday night, can actually prove beneficial in our later years.
“These memories can play an active part in tackling dementia, depression and loneliness. Following the beautiful game is after all, about making memories, some of them great, but for most of us, memories of what might have been too.”
The Sporting Memories Foundation works with clubs, communities, volunteers and across generations to help support older fans continue to enjoy sharing memories of their lives as fans, or indeed players, at weekly groups.
These award-winning, ground-breaking groups also offer a chance to make new friends and to try out new sports and physical activities.
As a Dementia Nurse working in a busy general hospital in Cheshire, Andy Tysoe has created and delivered awareness sessions to more than 6,000 hospital staff, members of the public and people affected by dementia.
These sessions are provided free in the North West through his #DementiaDo campaign, to anyone who wants to attend and learn more. They also challenge the misperception and stigma around the disease too.
How you can help
Ahead of kick-off, fans in the Victory Lounge will be asked to recall their memories of Pompey using #PompeyVoices and their memories of England’s finest moment in world football.
As part of a unique project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund North West, the FA, National Football Museum and The Sporting Memories Foundation are collecting the stories and recollections of #memoriesof66 at www.memoriesof66.com
Get involved
Using football and sport as a way of promoting communication and interaction can make a real difference.
A grant from The Big Lottery Fund has seen new sporting memories groups start in Hampshire and beyond.
If you are a sports fan and would like to get involved, either as a volunteer or group member, visit www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com to find out more.
Buy a commemorative mug
Visit www.ClubMerchandise.org, choose your all-time favourite football or sports result, get it made and enjoy the perfect cuppa from their Ceefax mug range. Use code ‘Sporting Memories’ to receive a 10 per cent discount. £1 per item is donated to The Sporting Memories Foundation.
Raise funds
The Sporting Memories Foundation is an independent charity that relies on donations and grant funding to reach out to as many older fans across the country as possible. If you are looking for a charity to support in 2017, please get in touch!
Pompey in the Community
James Lang, Head of Education, runs a regular dementia group at Pompey in the Community. For more information contact james.lang@pompeyitc.org.uk
Dementia Facts
- Dementia is a brain disease, not a mental illness or a natural part of growing old
- There are many different types of Dementia; Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia are the most common forms
- An estimated 850,000 people live with Dementia in the UK
- Dementia is not just about memory loss, it can affect all sorts of things including reasoning, communication, movement and how we perceive our world
- People with dementia can continue to enjoy playing or watching sports, try out new activities and make meaningful contributions to their communities
- If you are concerned about your own memory, talk to your doctor about it sooner rather than later