A Leeds group helping older people reconnect through the power of sport welcomed a special guest recently as former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain paid a visit to members at Holt Park.
The cricket legend spent time with members of the Sporting Memories club, sharing stories from his celebrated playing and broadcasting career before joining in an indoor cricket session with attendees.
The charity and social enterprise supports people aged over 50, including those living with dementia, long-term health conditions, depression or loneliness, by using the shared language of sport to spark conversation, memories and social connection.
Sporting Memories runs sessions across the UK, including several in Leeds, helping improve both mental and physical wellbeing through reminiscence activities and light inclusive exercise.
The Holt Park group meets weekly in partnership with Leeds City Council Active Leeds, which supports the sessions by helping provide volunteers and community engagement.
Malcolm Hall, who has volunteered with Sporting Memories through Active Leeds for several years, said the sessions regularly unlock powerful memories and emotional connections among participants.
He said: “I am regularly taken aback by the memories that are sparked by sporting events, be they cup finals, Wimbledon visits or playground games. Even attendees who profess not to have an interest in sport invariably are able to contribute and to add their own recollections.
“Every session is a fun-filled reminder of enjoyable, always heart-warming, experiences. It’s a joy to facilitate the group and to see the difference it makes to people’s mood.”
Activities are tailored around members’ interests and physical abilities, ranging from boccia and target games to balance and strength exercises designed to keep participants active and engaged.
Regular attendee and volunteer helper David Cornish, who is in his mid-80s, said the sessions had become an important support network for many people attending.
He said: “Sporting Memories at Holt Park is enjoyed by so many, whether they be physically disabled, lonely or living with dementia.
“As a helper, I derive so much pleasure and satisfaction in watching and hearing everyone recall so many of their own and others’ memories of sporting personalities and events. Time well spent and without doubt a lot of fun.”
Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, praised the initiative and the impact it continues to have on older residents across the city.
She said: “We’re very proud of the work we do together with Sporting Memories and are pleased to support them in running these sessions.
“We know that as people get older they sometimes get more lonely and groups such as this one are vital in bringing people together to have fun and reminisce.”
The Holt Park Sporting Memories Club meets every Monday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Holt Park Active Leisure Centre. More information about local clubs can be found via Sporting Memories Clubs
