Football Fans With Dementia Make History In Display Of Solidarity With England And Wales Players
Football fans living with dementia made history at Wembley Stadium connected by EE when they joined England and Wales players as mascots for their international friendly on Thursday 9 October.
In a world-first, and as part of the official charity partnership between Alzheimer’s Society and The Football Associations of England and Wales, 22 fans living with dementia walked out and stood for the national anthem alongside the players.
Players of both teams also returned for the second half of the game wearing shirts with their names removed – drawing attention to memory loss, which is one of the most common symptoms of dementia.
These powerful gestures were delivered to mark the ‘Alzheimer’s Society International’ fixture, the fourth of its kind since the partnership began in 2021.
A donation from each ticket sold will to help fund the charity’s services and dementia research, whilst MatchWornShirt have also partnered with both The FA and The Football Association of Wales to auction off player shirts from the first half, with a percentage of the proceeds going towards Alzheimer’s Society.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, with someone developing the condition every three minutes. Yet, a recent Alzheimer’s Society report revealed two in five people living with dementia felt ashamed or stigmatised. The 22 mascots represent the many different experiences of dementia across the UK, coming together as a united team to challenge the assumptions and stigmas surrounding the condition. Alzheimer’s Society and The FA are urging the nation to join this effort, and donate, support and drive change at alzheimers.org.uk/joinourteam.
Nigel Palmer, one of the mascots involved, said:
“It was brilliant, I can’t believe it. Standing out there alongside the players, with the atmosphere and the anthems playing, it was a special moment and I feel very lucky to have been part of it. Thank you to Alzheimer’s Society and The FA for making it happen.”
Mark Bullingham, Chief Executive Officer of The FA, said:
“This was an incredibly proud moment for us as an official partner of Alzheimer’s Society. The image of the 22 mascots walking out at Wembley is a striking reminder of the ability football has to inspire beyond the pitch. We hope the entire nation will be encouraged to join our team in the fight against dementia.”
Alex Hyde-Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said:
“Tonight’s game was a monumental moment in our long-term partnership with The FA. We are so incredibly grateful for their continued commitment to raising awareness of dementia – the UK’s biggest killer.
“The football fans who walked out onto the pitch represent the many different faces of dementia, and this moment is a powerful reminder that it will take a united team to achieve our goals. We really hope this will inspire everyone to pull together and play their part, whether that’s donating, campaigning, volunteering, or seeking support – because it will take a society to beat dementia.”
