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Date: 2nd June 2025
Football Memories Scotland started in 2009. It is the world’s first national football reminiscence programme. Scotland is a leader among all nations in offering sports heritage programmes that enhance the lives of people with dementia. The Football Memories Project has the capacity to improve the lives of people, not only those living with dementia, but also loneliness, isolation and other issues.
Covid changed everything. Football Memories started off with three groups (Falkirk, Aberdeen and Hibs) but today there are nearly 600 groups across Scotland. They are held in Care Homes, football stadiums, libraries, community settings, day centres and hospitals and are all run by volunteers.
A football club is more than just winning three points on a Saturday – it can help their local community by being involved in social change and inclusion. And many clubs are just brilliant at that support.
Robert Harvey is a volunteer in Glasgow and he says, “I have been at approx 700 football meetings and heard some remarkable personal football stories. The volunteers use Scottish football photographs and memorabilia and these images can start conversations and open up communications that may not have been otherwise possible. Look around the table at a Football Memories meeting and there will be a mix of people – some may struggle with their memories, some may just like talking about football and never get the chance, others just liked being in the company of fellow football men and women.
One of the amazing things is that it is a collective experience. Everyone helps each other. If someone is struggling to recognise a player or finish a story, someone next to them will help. The Football Memories Scotland Project works because it is a simple process. We are a proud football nation and people feel comfortable talking about it. But the conversations can be about many things, not just football. Don’t be surprised if someone talks to you about their school days, or the job they did, or playing street football, or one hundred and one other topics. Memories are who we are. Everyone listens with respect. Many people come to life as they share their stories. It is open to everybody, no matter the level of football someone may have played, or even if they never played football. This is much more than just football.”
The project is managed by the Football Museum at Hampden. If you are interested in finding out more please contact the museum at email address Stella.Murphy@scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk
Finally, Robert remembers speaking to one elderly gentleman who said that just getting up to go to a Football Memories session has given him a new purpose. It allows him to think back to a time when he was a flying left winger with a top juvenile club in Fife. He even surprises himself with some of the things he still remembers and now talks about. And it is the football photos that help bring back these memories.
Please also visit the Football Memories website: https://memories.scot/histories/football
The photo here shows, left to right, Robert Harvey, FMS Volunteer, Alastair Blair, SFSA Ops Director (who had just given a talk on Scottish refereeing history) and Arthur Grant, FMS Volunteer.
Posted in: Latest News
Tags: Scottish football