Football Memories Scotland Nominated for Prestigious Scotland’s Dementia Award

GROUND-BREAKING dementia project Football Memories Scotland has been shortlisted for the prestigious Scotland’s Dementia Awards 2018. Nominated in the ‘Most Innovative Partnership’ category, the shortlisting recognises Football Memories Scotland’s collaboration with Alzheimer Scotland to deliver vital community reminiscence work, helping people living with dementia in Scotland.

Scotland’s Dementia Awards, a partnership between Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council, has announced the finalists for their 7th annual Awards. The Awards programme sets out to celebrate the inspirational achievements of those making a difference for people living with dementia and their families.

If successful, this award would represent the second major accolade this year for Football Memories Scotland. In May, the Scotland-wide Football Memories Volunteer Network was recognised with the Volunteer Team of the Year Award at this year’s Museums + Heritage Awards organised by M+H Media. This UK-wide award recognises good-practice across the entire museums and heritage sector in the UK.

Headquartered at The National Stadium Hampden Park, the Football Memories Scotland project is a partnership between Alzheimer Scotland and the Scottish Football Museum, currently operating more than 200 groups across Scotland. The project started in 2009 and is the oldest national football reminiscence programme in the world.

Football Memories Scotland is a national network of reminiscence groups which aims to provide therapeutic interventions for people living with dementia. Groups meet in football clubs, community halls, libraries, sheltered housing complexes, care homes, day carecentres and hospitals, with reminiscence activities delivered in either a group format or on a one-to-one basis.

Since its conception in 2009, the Football Memories Project has produced a range of resources including packs of cards, DVDsand memory boxes, as well as a digital resource website with over 7,000 images enabling facilitators to personalise reminiscence for individuals. We have recently created a certification scheme to provide training for project volunteers and care home staff.  Alzheimer Scotland provides vital advice and support with a significant number of their staff running reminiscence groups in different parts of Scotland.

Robert Craig, Chair of the Scottish Football Museum and Chair of Sports Heritage Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for the Scotland’s Dementia Awards. It is particularly pleasing to be recognised in the ‘Most Innovative Partnership’ category as the Football Memories Project has been a pioneering collaboration between the Scottish Football Museum and Alzheimer Scotland since it first started in 2009. Together we have developed a world-leading dementia intervention project recognised internationally as a model of good-practice.”

Henry Simmons, Alzheimer Scotland’s Chief Executive, on behalf of the partners, said: “These awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise the great achievements of projects and teams involved in dementia care and support across Scotland.”

“We are thrilled to see so many positive collaborations taking place, helping to address stigma, break down barriers and ensure that nobody faces dementia alone. We look forward to celebrating the work of all our finalists and winners on the day.”