The two-hour taster event brought teams together from East and West Leeds communities for a lively interactive session hosted by Tony Mullin, Director at Your Back Yard and Malcolm Hall, from Leeds Sporting Memories.
Tony brought his stalwarts from the Bramley Wanderers Walking Football Team, while Damien Gaffney, East Leeds Community Cohesion Officer, brought members of Burmantofts Community Friends.
Designed for older adults, including those living with Dementia, the event combined gentle physical activity with an opportunity to connect socially through shared sporting memories, and a combination of walking football, botcha and quiz thanks to funding from Sported.
Malcolm started the proceedings by inviting all to share their favourite sporting memory/experience via ‘pass the football’.
The football was passed around as an aid to anyone wishing to share. Memories were interesting and varied, including cricketing favourites; experiences of visiting Wembley Stadium for the first time; Don Fox’s missed rugby kick in 1968 Challenge Cup Final; playing netball for Leicestershire in the London Intercounties Tournament; seeing first football match as a 5-year old and the Elland Road Scratching Shed; and the Leeds City Boys Rugby of 1961.
More recent memory came from proud father who gave an account of taking his daughter to see the recent England v Spain at Wembley Stadium.
Next came the walking football match. Walking football is a slower-paced no-contact game.
Supervised by Tony, Malcolm & Damien, both teams were well matched, different ages and abilities competing with great team spirit. Some had to try hard to rein in their enthusiasm and remember ‘not’ to run, but nevertheless managed to thunder their way around the sports hall floor to score.
Though there were a couple of near misses with the football no-one actually got carried off the pitch.
Everyone appeared to be having a ‘ball’ including Fred who suffers with Dementia/Asphasia while wife/carer enjoyed the rare opportunity to spectate from the ‘bench’ and watch him enjoying himself with others without having to worry about him.
Tony and his Walking Wanderers Football Group play weekly on Fridays at 10am on the playing field alongside the Black Lion Pub, 199 Broad Lane, Leeds LS13 2NJ. Everyone is welcome to join in, no experience is needed.
It’s a great way to improve mobility and keep active as well as enjoying the social interaction and friendliness of the team. Your Back Yard is currently based in the Bramley Community Cafe, Bramley Community Centre.
The Sporting Memories Network hold groups throughout Leeds. Weekly group meetings take place at Holt Park Active Leisure Centre, Holtdale Approach, Leeds LS16 7RX on Mondays 10.30am to 12.30pm.
Their aim is to support and stimulate memory by starting conversation through shared stories, memorabilia and sporting moments. Attendance by family members and/or Carers is encouraged.
The event ended with games and quiz. Before returning to East Leeds Damien thanked everyone for their friendliness and welcoming himself and his community to the event.
Tony, Malcolm and Damien agreed it had been a great success and potentially one of more similar events in the future.
GET MORE WALKING FOOTBALL NEWS HERE: https://walkingfootball.com/blog
Author: The Walking Football
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