On Thursday 9th November, in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire, the Foundation hosted a Festival of Social Science event titled “Reminiscence therapy: how football can help unlock lost memories for people living with dementia”.
Attendees joined the Foundation team in the Benington Suite at the Lamex Stadium with tea, coffee, cake and a wonderful view over the pitch. The event was well attended with a mixture of service providers (Hertswise, Alzheimer’s Society, Music24, Hertfordshire County Council, Stevenage Borough Council, Hospice of St Francis, The Red Shed and others), and members of the public (including a carer and person living with dementia).
Attendees were also joined by Mayor of Stevenage, Councillor Myla Arceno and her Consort John Arceno, who are both great supporters of health and wellbeing and dementia care.
The event was a mixture of speakers including Hannah Marsh (Head of Health & Wellbeing, Stevenage FC Foundation); Danny Buckley (Senior Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire); Dr. Elspeth Mathie (Assistant Director, Centre for Public Health and Community Care, CRIPACC, University of Hertfordshire, NIHR ARC East of England) and Charlotte Bird (Active Ageing Officer, Herts Sports & Physical Activity Partnership).
Danny Buckley presented on research into the benefits of reminiscence therapy for people affected by dementia and led onto promoting our Boro Bygones Reminiscence programme which will be re-launching in January 2024.
One attendee confirmed “how much goes on in Stevenage”, but attendees agreed it is difficult to access after a dementia diagnosis. As part of the University of Hertfordshire research, they have worked with Stevenage Borough Council to produce a physical activities booklet which can be accessed here.
The event continues an on-going collaboration between the University of Hertfordshire and local partners, ensuring research includes people with lived experience, organisations who already have on-going relationships with those who need support, the NHS and the local authority. Working together we can enable research to meet the needs and priorities of local communities.
For more information on Boro Bygones, which will re-launch on Thursday 18th January 2024, please contact community@stevenagefcf.com
