Lockdown appeal for sport memories
Lanarkshire sports fans have been encouraged to donate a piece of their favourite memorabilia as Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland get creative during the lockdown.
With groups across Lanarkshire suspended amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Chief Operating Officer Maurice Donohue hopes to still reach out to the regular attendees with their ‘Talk About Sport’ and ‘Sporting Memories in 100 Objects’ campaigns.
Talk About Sport encourages people to pick up the phone to talk about their favourite memories from the pitches across the area.
To join in with the 100 objects campaign you can send in a clip talking about your most cherished item connected to your favourite activity.
Maurice said: “We see this as a vehicle for tackling loneliness and isolation.
“Sport connects with most people so this is an easy subject to talk about.
“There is no live sport so we are all just reminiscing about days gone by.
“We are busy just now but it’s a challenge.
“We are doing some welfare calls and some people have just been totally isolated.
“The people we work with are all very vulnerable just now. Until there is a tried and tested vaccine I don’t see us getting back round a table talking aboutsport.
“Whether it’s your first football medal or you first cross country medal, we want to get people to do a wee video clip and talk about what that video clip means to them.
“Mine is when I first went to Ingliston and Jackie Stewart was doing a demonstration. That really got me hooked into motor racing and, in particular, Formula One.
“We are trying to use this as a vehicle for people to watch because there is a lot of good stories coming out.
“That’s right across the piece, and not in just one particular sport.
“We are tying to get as much participation as possible.
“You can sign up to our newsletter and it will also mean something new and interactive coming into the home every week.
“The more content the better and the more people send in the better.
“We just want that outreach and when we do get back together again there might be an opportunity to develop and bring in new volunteers.
“Hopefully this is a way to get people back round the table with the sporting family and have a bit of banter.”
Sporting Memories co-founder Chris Wilkins added: “We all know someone who loves to talk about sport. Talking about sport is the bedrock of our community clubs for older people.
“It’s a powerful, emotive and often joyous topic that engages people on all levels.
“We use sport to tackle social isolation and improve physical and cognitive well-being and resilience.”