City fans meet club legends at event for the elderly

COVENTRY City fans in the community attended a free befriending event for the elderly at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Fans were able to meet legends from the club’s past: Bill Tedds and Ian Goodwin, along with Ken Brown who celebrated his 89th birthday.

Around 45 people joined the event to meet new people, and had the opportunity to take pictures with the FA Cup. The two-hour event also included a presentation about the club’s time at Highfield Road and iconic moments in the history of the game.

Emma Brodie, senior community officer at Coventry Building Society, said “We want events like this to act as a safe, warm and welcoming place for all of our elderly community who feel isolated. We’ve had lots of people attend today including those living with dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s along with guests from local care homes.

“They’ve had the chance to connect with their fellow Coventry City fans and have friendly conversations over a cuppa.”

One of the guests attending the event said: “I really enjoyed the football presentation, reminiscing about fond memories about the team’s past. We were greeted outside the Arena and made to feel special all morning.

“It’s good for people like me who feel lonely to get out and meet new people at these events. I look forward to the next one.”

Coventry Building Society is holding befriending events throughout the year.

Anyone interested in coming along or who knows of someone who would benefit should pop into a local Coventry branch and ask for Emma Brodie. Alternatively, contact the community team at community@thecoventry.co.uk to express interest.