With the suspension of over 120 Sporting Memories community Clubs for older people in England, Wales and Scotland due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sporting Memories Foundation is encouraging everyone, no matter where they are, to talk about sport.
Sporting Memories Co-founder Chris Wilkins says: “We all know someone who loves to talk about sport. Talking about sport is bedrock of our community Clubs for older people. It’s a powerful, emotive and often joyous topic that engages people on all levels. We use sport to tackle social isolation and improve physical and cognitive well-being and resilience.
“Now that so many of us are isolated from our loved ones and friends, we want to encourage as many people as possible to talk about sport. To engage by whatever means they can with their family and friends of all ages, spark lively conversations and bring up all those positive memories. That’s why we have launched a new campaign: #TalkAboutSport. We want to demonstrate to as many people as possible the health, wellbeing and social benefits of talking about sport.
Sporting Memories is developing resources and activities that can be used at home, online or over the telephone. With quizzes, puzzles, a weekly sports publication and video guidance already made available, there is plenty more to follow. The organisation’s staff and volunteers are working hard to turn their ideas into reality.
Chris added: “Some of these resources are already used in our Clubs, others will be brand new. Of course there are challenges: many of those we work with have limited options to access activities online. However, this is where we hope a wider #TalkAboutSport message can help. By highlighting that sport is a wonderful way of sparking conversation and by providing guidance and resources to go alongside this, people will find ways to engage. We will give people a taste of what happens at our Clubs and show them how to bring this into the home and over the telephone.”
Sporting Memories is encouraging people to sign up on its website to a new digital version of the Sporting Pink – a weekly publication produced by the organisation. Usually only available to its Clubs, the Foundation hopes that by making it more widely available, families and friends will use it with older people to spark sporting conversations.
“We have set up an Activities area on our website, www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com, and will be adding to this and our other online channels over the coming days and weeks.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
