How the Sporting Memories Foundation supports mental wellbeing of hundreds across Wales
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is proud to support World Mental Health Day (10 October 2024), this year featuring the vital work across Wales of one of our members, the Sporting Memories Foundation.
Continuing to deliver vital clubs and sessions for older people, Sporting Memories has developed into a well-known and well-loved social initiative that combats loneliness and inactivity for older people across the country.
There are over 20 Sporting Memories clubs running across Cardiff, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, Torfaen, Caerphilly, Llanelli, Pembrokeshire, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Flint, Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire, and the Vale of Glamorgan, reaching around 400 older people each week.
These clubs consist of a ‘first half’ filled with sporting reminiscence and cognitively stimulating games supported by memorabilia and resources and defined by the participants’ sporting interests. This allows for social interaction among participants and new friendships to be formed.
Following ‘half-time’ refreshments, the ‘second half’ facilitates physical activity with a range of activities and sports including boccia, target games and a range of balance and strength exercises. This is a gradual introduction, slowly increasing physical activity levels from a starting point of being inactive.
Alongside this, the Sporting Memories Foundation delivers activities outside of the weekly clubs, such as trips to sports museums, sports games, meals out, walks, and even many Christmas parties and meals.
“We see our work being very important for older people across Wales,” Kelly Hart, Director of Impact and Fundraising at the Sporting Memories Foundation, told the WSA, “especially for older men. Often men do not engage in community activities as much as women.
“Our work supports their interests and engages them through chatting about sport. Our activities have a huge benefit for participants; for some of our beneficiaries it will be the only thing they do and the highlight of their week.”
As well as the participants, carers and loved ones are positively impacted by Sporting Memories’ work. Providing vital respite and peace of mind, the clubs build peer networks for different groups of people across Wales.
“We improve mental wellbeing through beneficiaries regularly participating in welcoming environments that are personalised to the attendees,” Kelly explained.
“Our participants develop confidence, self-esteem and resilience that builds positive routines, reaffirms a sense of identity, and develops agency.
“At the same time older people report decreased social isolation and perceived loneliness, in part through developing strong and mutually supportive relationships with fellow participants and volunteers, many of whom they go on to meet up with outside of the sessions.”
As well as activities stimulating attendees physically, the social connection enables older people to have the confidence to engage with health services and other community networks, as Kelly explains.
“Through regularly participating in inclusive sports-related activities, attendees (including many with chronic, degenerative conditions) become more physically active and feel more confident in pursuing physical activities both within the community Clubs and in their daily lives.
“We have individuals who’ve now taken up cycling and swimming again after many years.
“Our attendees develop strong, pro-social networks, and develop the skills, confidence, and awareness to engage with wider health and community networks in their locality,” Kelly confirmed. “The peer support encourages them to go and get health concerns checked out or access more support if needed. This is particularly pertinent to our older carers.”
The Sporting Memories Foundation has collaborated with an array of organisations in Wales to maximise their impact, including fellow WSA members Ospreys in the Community, Cardiff City FC Community Foundation and Glamorgan Cricket.
“These partners have local reach and networks, as well as being trusted and known names locally, which helps to expand our activities quickly and engage local people,” Kelly explained. “Utilising their comms activities, our name and impact are getting more noticed in local areas, too.
“The partnerships offer new opportunities. For example, working with Glamorgan Cricket, our Club members have had a recent trip to Sophia Gardens!”
“These collaborations with many organisations across Wales have helped us to open more clubs and reach more older people,” Kelly continued.
“We are a small organisation and rely on partners and volunteers to help facilitate our Clubs, delivering our model. With only one staff member (Rob, our local Co-ordinator) it’s hard to be everywhere and talk to everyone. Rob connects to partners who share our vision, values and aims to see how we can work together, specifically against our theory of change and Club Charter that helps replicate the model in new areas.”
The WSA is delighted to see member organisation harness the power of sport to support individuals in local communities across Wales.
Sport has the power to change lives and support people in various capacities, as Sporting Memories do with older people’s mental wellbeing on a weekly basis.
Kelly concluded by reaffirming how important mental health and maintaining our mental wellbeing is.
“Everyone’s mental wellbeing impacts our daily lives and the choices we make. Having good mental health makes you feel better, and it helps us to cope with negative situations and uncertainties, as well as making and keeping good relationships with other people, be it friends or family.
“It’s important to have opportunities, such as social activities like Sporting Memories, to help those who need a helping hand, and ensure that they do not feel they are alone whilst making new friends and enjoying new activities.”
You can find a range of resources, whether you’re struggling or think someone else may be, here.
And find more detail about WSA member Sporting Memories here.
