Foundation to support World Alzheimer’s Day

At Saturday’s match against Dagenham & Redbridge, Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation will be raising awareness and supporting people and their families affected by Alzheimer’s. Volunteers will be bucket collecting around the ground to raise funds to support The Hartlepool Young Onset Group and Dementia Friendly Hartlepool.

Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation have also launched a new Dementia and Alzheimer’s project for fans, supported by the Premier League Fans Fund.

The Premier League Fans Fund provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game to strengthen connections between them, their fans, and local communities.

The fund supports a range of fan-focused and fan-led projects, helping to foster a sense of belonging through meaningful engagement. This includes schemes for under-represented groups, to further develop an inclusive and welcoming matchday experience for everyone.

Keith Nobbs, Manager of HUCSF, said: “The number of people with Dementia and Alzheimer’s is increasing because people are living longer, staying active and engaged is beneficial for both a person’s physical and cognitive health.

“Exercise, outdoor activities, games, music, and art are just a few of the activities proven to be helpful. This will increase the person’s mental health and wellbeing and help maintain their dignity, confidence, and self-esteem. It also supports family, friends and carers strengthening relationships knowing there is a support mechanism in place."

Open to 120 professional football club community organizations in the Premier League, Football League, National League, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, the Premier League Fans Fund builds on the Premier League and clubs’ commitment to ensuring long-term engagement with supporters.

Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “Fans are the lifeblood of football and their commitment to, and involvement with, their local club is essential to the continued success of the game at every level.

“Through the Premier League Fans Fund we are investing in projects that will enhance connections between clubs and fans, whilst also delivering even more community impact. By supporting clubs across England and Wales, from both the men’s and women’s game, to develop projects that respond directly to the needs of their fans, we can help to ensure that football offers a fantastic experience for everyone.”

Premier League funding supports projects that respond to local need, and which aim to improve the match day environment for fans and/or residents, address fan behaviour, and community impact such as the cost-of-living crisis, build upon a club's heritage and engage and support underrepresented fan groups (disability, ethnicity, LGBTQ+, women?and girls).

Delivery is often themed around tackling inequalities to create community cohesion, covering areas like equality, diversity, and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, physical health and wellbeing, providing education and training opportunities, supporting employability, and/or sustainability.

Funding is flexible to empower professional football clubs, and their community organizations, to develop fan-focused and fan-led projects that respond directly to the needs of their local community.

Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation (HUCSF) will use the reach and appeal of Hartlepool United to run Dementia/Alzheimer’s projects:

Activities:

Every Tuesday, 10am - 12pm Chair Exercises and Social Hub in the Centenary Lounge, The Prestige Group Stadium, TS24 8BZ

Every Wednesday, 10am - 12pm Larry’s Lanes Bowling, 12-14 The Front, Seaton Carew, TS25 1BS

For more information, please email [email protected] .