Hampshire Cricket hosts the first Dementia Friendly Day at the Ageas Bowl

As a combination of Surrey batters made Hampshire’s bowlers toil under the sun on the hottest day (thus far!) of 2016, relaxing in the wonderful surrounding’s of Hampshire Cricket’s Ageas Bowl were the first group of people from Dementia Friendly Hampshire to participate in a new inclusion programme which provides those living with dementia, alongside family members, with the opportunity to come along to Hampshire Cricket, watch some cricket and relax.

The programme has been organised by Hampshire supporter’s group, “The 1864 Collective” (so named in commemoration of Hampshire Cricket’s first recorded competitive match), Dementia Friendly Hampshire and Hampshire Cricket in the Community. It builds upon the work first done in 2014 when the Ageas Bowl became a Dementia Friendly Stadium and Hampshire Cricket staff were trained in how to ensure the venue was both safe and enjoyable.

This first day saw 7 people, each attending with a family member, take their seats in one of the Warne Stand suites which provides an unrivalled view from the top of the stand over Hampshire’s world class stadium.

Whilst some people knew one another from other programmes, there was a great opportunity for getting to know one another as well as people from the three organising bodies. It didn’t take long for everyone to be chatting famously with one another with those helping out intrigued by some of the stories being told.

As much as the sight of the sunshine was enthusiastically received, so too was the chance to have a look at some cricket equipment, kindly donated by Mike Pain from the Hampshire Cricket Shop. Some who had not played cricket for many years were amazed at the weight of the new bats as well as finding the white ball (used for T20 and 50 Over matches) intriguing. The opportunity to have a look at the gear also led to some fantastic stories, as one visitor took the bat in his hands, and with great energy proceeded to give a lesson in how both cricketers and golfers should adopt the same foot and head position to maximise their ability. It transpired that the impromptu coach’s words were authoritative too, as he went on to tell of how he had previously represented Northern Ireland on many occasions in golf!

Jane Ward, from Dementia Friendly Hampshire summed up her thoughts on the day, including a mention of feedback received from one of the visitors; “'A highlight for me of events like these is always the interaction between everyone involved. The members of Hampshire Cricket who came along to offer support had some amazing chats with those living with dementia. It's easy to forget about the person when we think about dementia.... We concentrate on the condition and overlook the incredibly rich lives these guys have had. Meeting new people who share an interest gives them the opportunity to share their history, their past experiences and often their accomplishments. This can be such a great experience for them when they are often overlooked and forgotten because of their diagnosis.”

Simon Young, from the 1864 Collective and a member of Hampshire Cricket’s Members Committee, was equally enthused; “Today has really shown how deeply rooted in the community Hampshire Cricket is. Everyone has been so supportive in getting this programme up and running, and the testimony of the success has been clearly shown on the faces of everyone who attended. We are really looking forward to the remaining days which are planned for this year, and to putting more dates into the diary for the 2017 season.”

For anyone interested, the remaining dates for 2016 are below, and anyone who may like to come along should contact Jane Ward for further details :

Saturday 6th August v Lancashire

Thursday 1st September v Yorkshire

Tuesday 20th September v Durham

If you would like to know more about the events, or would be interested in donating towards the programme, please contact :

Jane Ward 07557653229 jane.ward@dementiafriendlyhampshire.org.uk

Simon Young 07547 003352 simon.cage4all@gmail.com