Football club launches dementia programme

Everton Football Club has created a new project designed to help patients with dementia by encouraging them to revisit their favourite sporting memories.

The club's official charity Everton in the Community has joined forces with Mersey Care NHS to produce the Pass on the Memories initiative.

Former Everton striker Graeme Sharp officially launched the scheme at the club's Goodison Park ground and interviews with the player are included in the resources that will be used to help patients with memory loss.

Other tools include sporting reminiscence workshops, social activities and day trips to local places of sporting interest.

It is hoped the scheme will help to stimulate cognitive activity in dementia patients, unlocking memories related to sport and helping to create new ones.

Mersey Care's project manager Matty Byrne said: "It is a unique opportunity to use memorabilia from Merseyside's sporting and cultural history for reminiscence therapy."

Read more about Barchester's dementia care homes.