Thanks to a collaboration with Parkinson’s UK, Stockport County Community Trust has been delivering specialist walking football sessions, a programme of wellbeing sessions for those living with the condition.
Designed to ease and manage symptoms by utilising gentle movement and targeted exercise, the Parkinson’s Wellbeing Programme comprises an indoor walking football session together with a physical activity group (the latter taking place in County’s first-team dressing room).
65-year-old Simon Cook is among the beneficiaries. Throughout his 40s and 50s, he worked in the finance industry and led a busy life, regularly attending the gym and playing rugby and cricket. As he reached the age of 60, he entered a new chapter in his life and began to look forward to retirement. And then, almost overnight, everything changed.
Simon began to notice some odd physical changes, like loss of smell, lack of concentration and tremors in his hand. He was devastated when a neurologist finally confirmed a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, a disease without a cure.
Physically, life became so unpredictable; there were some mornings when he could walk the dog without a problem, but others when he could barely move. But the worst Parkinson’s symptoms for him were emotional. The condition caused his anxiety to rise, his confidence to plummet and his memory to deteriorate.
Specialist walking football sessions
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Then Simon learned about Stockport County Community Trust’s Parkinson’s programme. At first he was quite cautious about taking part in the walking football session – it had never been ‘his’ sport – but he couldn’t believe the positive effect it had on him.
Prior to kick-off he’d hobble and shuffle over to the touchline, but once the whistle blew and the ball came towards him he could hardly stop himself from running. On one occasion he scored five goals in a single session, joking to his team-mates that he’d soon receive a call-up to the Parkinson’s England football squad.
Simon shared: “Parkinson’s is such a cruel condition because you know your symptoms are only going to get worse, and you often find yourself in a very lonely and desperate place.
“It takes something very special to make you feel upbeat and positive, and not retreat into your shell and shut yourself off from the world. That something special has been Stockport County’s Parkinson’s programme. The impact on me has been phenomenal – both mentally and physically – and it has enabled me to achieve things well beyond my expectations.
“I’m still hopeful for that England call-up…!”
Stockport County Community Trust is one of 15 EFL Club charities to have received funding to create specialist walking football sessions for people with neurological conditions.
The £45k funding injection was distributed to Clubs in England as part of a collaboration between EFL in the Community, Parkinson’s UK and the Football Association.
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Author: The Walking Football
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