Dementia Friendly Recognition For Wrexham Football Club

Wrexham Football Club is to receive official recognition for its work towards becoming dementia friendly.

Over the past two seasons, Wrexham Football Club and Wrexham Supporters’ Trust (WST) have been working hard towards their aim of becoming a dementia friendly football club and sporting venue.

Working closely with Jo Lane – the dementia friendly communities’ co-ordinator for North Wales – Stuart Roberts, a member of the WST board (Wrexham Supporters Trust), will be at The Racecourse on Saturday 11th March to accept official recognition from The Alzheimer’s Society for their work towards becoming dementia friendly.

We are told the football club will be the first in Wales to receive such recognition.

As part of the process in becoming dementia friendly the club had to meet certain criteria, which included a survey of The Racecourse to assess any issues which may be encountered by someone living with dementia.

The survey was carried out by a person living with dementia and was found to be a positive experience – with a few minor details being highlighted and addressed.

Those involved in achieving the official status also focused on raising awareness of those living with dementia, which began by providing ‘Dementia Friends’ awareness sessions to people involved in the match day experience.

At present there are Dementia Friends on the club and WST boards, in the office and club shop and almost all of the first team squad.

Stuart Roberts said: “Obviously, the pubs around the ground are also a big part of the match day experience, as is Chris De Burger’s burger van all of whom have shown their support. A special thanks to Chris De Burger who was the first person outside of the club to attend a session.”

The club has also supported and encouraged the setting up of “Dementia Friendly Wrexham” steering group and has two members of AFC on the steering group along with representation from the Council, the NHS, Glyndwr University, both local and national retailers, local faith and voluntary organisations and it is operating under the guidance of The Alzheimer’s Society to make Wrexham a Dementia Friendly Community.

Future plans for the club to remain as dementia friendly as reasonably possible, are in place and include regular Dementia Friends sessions. These will be included as part of the Racecourse stewards’ induction and training package as well as some new dementia friendly signage in and around the ground.

Sessions are being offered to current club sponsors with management and staff from AEC Engineering attending a session recently. Both DTCC and Ifor Williams Trailers are also due to take part in similar sessions.

Stuart said: “It’s great to see large local employers such as DTCC showing commitment to this initiative. They have committed to supply a trainer to attend a session and then the Champion training, so that they can then deliver the sessions as part of their own company induction.

“It is our aim to suggest this strategy to all companies linked to the football club.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead of us to retain this official status and we would love you to get involved as a volunteer. This could be for us at the football club or assisting the new steering group to achieve our aim for the town to become a dementia friendly community. We are all in a position to help people living with dementia, to live well.

“Something as simple as attending one of our Dementia Friends sessions at The Racecourse really will make a difference.:

For more information regarding Dementia Friendly Communities please contact [email protected]