WORCESTER Warriors continued their efforts to kick the isolation caused by dementia into touch and welcomed sufferers, carers and volunteers to Sixways.
The club, through their Community Foundation, have been taking steps to become more dementia friendly and they have shown this through offering Dementia Friends awareness sessions to their stewards.
Around 20 local people with dementia, carers and volunteers attended the recent victory over Saracens with staff from Alzheimer’s Society’s Side by Side group.
They watched the action unfold from the warmth of a box on what was a cold winter’s day and received support from Community Foundation staff Laura Bolon and Charlotte Hatton-Smith.
Some of the people with dementia had previous experience with rugby and others were new to the sport.
The Warriors Community Foundation has been working with the Alzheimer’s Society’s Side by Side support service at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Members of their club’s educational HITZ group have been visiting people with dementia in hospital and offering them companionship and an opportunity to socialise.
Simon Northcott, BME and Disability Lead for the Worcester Warriors Community Foundation said: “It’s important to integrate people with dementia and hopefully the attendees experienced a sense of enjoyment from the game.
“Rugby is a community sport and the community-based side is rewarding.
“Hopefully we can engage with people who have lost touch with rugby who once played or had some involvement with the sport.
“Dementia affects people from all creeds and communities and the game has offered them a chance to unite around something they enjoy,” he added.
Warriors and Kidderminster Harriers are leading the way in Worcestershire for including people with dementia in sporting events and will set a positive example for other organisations to follow across the country.
E-mail [email protected] or call 01905 621868 for more information about the Side by Side group.
