Sporting Memories

Aim

To create five e-books for sports reminiscence featuring legends of football, motorsport, cricket and rugby plus a school sports special

Using memories of sport to help tackle dementia, depression and social isolation.

Sporting Memories Network, an independent social enterprise was awarded Best National Dementia Friendly Initiative 2014 by Alzheimer's Society and appears in this year's list of 50 New Radicals compiled by Nesta.

The majority of our work to date has focused on creating sports based reminiscence materials for group based work.

Today we launch an appeal to fund the development of further resources to help trigger favourite memories of watching or playing sport that can be used on a one-to-one basis by relatives, carers and friends in any environment.

We are seeking funding to create five e-books focusing on legends of football, motorsport, cricket and rugby.

Our fifth book will be aimed at capturing the fun and freedom of sport as a child living in the 50's & 60's.

Sporting Memories Network CIC is a not for profit social enterprise.

Sporting Memories Network CIC is a not for profit social enterprise. Founded in November 2011, our aim is to improve the mental and physical well-being of older people through the use of sports based reminiscence. By tapping into favourite memories of sport from across the decades, cognition and communication can be promoted, memories triggered and conversations started. Sport can provide a powerful connection across generations and is a natural subject to help trigger positive, happy memories.

By creating these new e-books, we aim to provide a rich resource of images and text that relatives, carers across generations can use on a one to one basis to provide fun, enjoyable and positive conversations around sport.

Sporting Memories Network is entirely self funded.

In developing 25 sporting memories projects in villages, towns, cities and across counties in England, Scotland and Wales, we have trained over 420 care staff, library staff, sports coaches and volunteers. All these projects have been self-funded via our work to secure commissions from councils, NHS trusts, public health teams and health and well-being boards. We are working on submitting applications to grant funding bodies to provide the backing to grow the network and spread the approach across regions.

Sporting Memories Network was presented with Best National Dementia Friendly Initiative in the Alzheimer's Society's 2014 dementia friendly awards. Watch the awards film about our work here

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote to the network:

"I was incredibly interested to read of the Network's aim of improving the well-being of people with dementia and I welcome the valuable contribution it makes to the grass roots development of Dementia Friendly Communities - an initiative I personally champion as part of my challenge on dementia.......This is the very reason that initiatives such as the Sporting Memories Network are so valuable and I thank you for your work in this area."

But don't take our word for it, listen in to the guys who have been meeting each week for two years - BBC Radio 4 visited them and asked them about what the benefits of Sporting Memories are - Listen here

Rewards:

• A £10 donation will receive a copy of the e-book of your choice.
• £25 will receive 2 copies of the e-book of your choice and your name on the project website
• £50 will receive all 5 copies and your name on the project website
• £100 will receive all 5 copies, your name on the project website and an acknowledgement as a funder in the books
• £250 will receive all of the above plus listing as a sponsor of a page in one e-book
• £1000 all of the above plus listing as a gold sponsor of the books on the website
• £5000 all of the above plus listing as platinum sponsor of the books on the website and a chance to join us at one of the network's memories games - See examples on website

FAQ's

Sporting Memories Network CIC is a social enterprise - company number 7811301 based in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire. The network is an independent organisation and has no affiliation to any political or charitable organisations.

Sporting Memories Ltd is a registered charity- No: 1154474 established to raise funds to recruit, train, manage and support volunteers delivering sporting memories activities. Sporting Memories Network projects are designed to promote the wellbeing of people over the age of fifty years and are volunteer led, with activities taking place at sports grounds, libraries, community settings, care homes and hospital wards. Dementia is a global term for organic diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's Disease, Vascular Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia. There are estimated to be 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Reminiscence Therapy is commonly used with people living with dementia and memory problems, low mood, anxiety and depression.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 15th October 2014