Football and Dementia Hope to Become a Winning Team

Football and Dementia Hope to Become a Winning Team

It’s almost a year since football lost England World Cup hero Nobby Stiles.

The much-loved midfielder died last October aged 78, after being diagnosed with dementia some 10 years earlier.

Tragically, he was one of five players from the legendary 1966 World Cup winning squad to be affected by the condition.

Jack Charlton, Ray Wilson and Martin Peters passed away between 2018 and 2020, while Bobby Charlton has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

It is therefore timely and fitting that football is now using its considerable power and influence to help improve the lives of people affected by dementia.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Alzheimer’s Society is to be the Football Association’s official charity partner for the next two seasons.

So, what does this partnership mean in reality? Put simply, the FA will work closely with Alzheimer’s Society to raise vital funds towards crucial support services, such as our Dementia Connect support line (0333 150 3456), increasing our capacity so we can reach even more people.

After 18 difficult months that have had a devastating impact on people affected by dementia, our services have never been more in demand. In fact, they have been used more than 5.5 million times since March 2020.

But our goal is to be there for everyone with a diagnosis of dementia and their families. To achieve that, we need to break down the barriers that prevent people from accessing the help they need, so that no one faces dementia alone.

We also need to bring dementia out of the shadows and tackle the stigma surrounding the condition. The FA is committed to helping us do just that, harnessing the power of sport to raise funds and awareness. Together, I hope we will make a winning team.

• Ken Oxley is Media Officer for Alzheimer’s Society in the North East, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Ken Oxley

Media Officer

North East, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Alzheimer’s Society

07874 886222