Sporting Memories and Racing Welfare to launch first racing reminiscence cards

Sporting Memories is a charity that offers people the chance to enjoy or recapture a love of sport. Their members attend events to have the company of other older sports fans, while some live with dementia or have memory problems. They also support people who have experienced depression or that may have had a stroke or live with Parkinson’s.

The charity is launching a new set of Replay Reminiscence Cards for Horseracing, adding to their already extensive range of sporting memory aids. The cards have been developed in partnership with Racing Welfare, who hold regular Sporting Memories coffee mornings across the country.

The range will be launched at special events at both Musselburgh Racecourse and Palace House in Newmarket on Tuesday 19th February.
Sporting Memories is working closely with racing to support both its people and those living locally to racecourses, alongside both Racing Welfare and with individual racecourses.

Musselburgh and Sporting Memories

Throughout the year Musselburgh provide a venue along with refreshments for Sporting Memories Scotland. Residents of local nursing homes, or members of the community who live on their own are invited to visit the racecourse for a coffee morning and a tour of the racecourse. This year they also introduced indoor bowls as part of the activity to help encourage the visitors to try a new sport. So far they have welcomed over 100 visitors through these visits and are delighted to continue this in future.

Launching the first racing Reminiscence Cards

On 19th February Musselburgh will host the co-launch of the first horseracing reminiscence cards. At the same time they will be launched at the National Heritage Centre for Horse Racing & Sporting Art in Newmarket. Sporting Memories over the years has developed a wide range of reminisce cards, which they call Replay cards, covering many sports and sporting events – everything from childhood sports to the obvious ones, such as football and golf. These new cards will be a valuable addition, as many group members have strong memories of horse racing.

The day will include an introduction into the work of Sporting Memories, with some guest speakers and live Q&A and discussions on some popular racing memories. The guests will have the opportunity to use the cards, meet each other and discuss memories between themselves, along with a horseracing quiz. All are welcome.

Chris Wilkins (Co-founder and Director, The Sporting Memories Foundation) said: “The Sporting Memories Foundation in England and Scotland uses sports reminiscence to engage isolated older people living with conditions such as dementia, loneliness and depression. Our Club members, who meet on a weekly basis in locations across the UK, are brought together through a shared love of sport, and enjoy using our Replay reminiscence cards which help trigger memories and conversation.
“We have already produced a range of Replay Cards which reflect a wide selection of sports, and we are now delighted to launch our latest set on racing. Themes for the cards were suggested by members of our Racing Welfare Sporting Memories Club at Malton and reflect some of the great jockeys, horses and courses that together represent some of the best and most enduring memories of racing in England and Scotland.
“Images can be very powerful in helping to prompt memories and stories which, particularly for people living with dementia, can otherwise remain locked away and untold. Our aim is to unlock those stories and together celebrate some wonderful racing memories.”