Former Everton Stars Join Sportsbreaks.com and Sporting Memories To Create New Experience For Fans Living With Dementia
Sports travel operator Sportsbreaks.com and social enterprise charity Sporting Memories gave charity members a chance to go behind-the-scenes at Everton’s iconic Goodison Park last week. The individuals living with dementia were joined by former Toffees stars Francis Jeffers and Barry Horne for a tour of the famous stadium and were gifted tickets for Everton’s Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
As Everton’s official travel partner, Sportsbreaks.com provided a day out at Goodison Park as their third campaign with the charity partner. The two companies are working together to increase awareness of dementia and other illnesses alongside highlighting the impact of live sporting experiences for everyone, and the memories football can create for many.
Combining their similar missions, Sportsbreaks.com and Sporting Memories took four lifelong fans who are either living with dementia or volunteering with the charity to look around Goodison, what was England’s first major football stadium when it opened in 1892. The fans have been following the club for decades and, with the historic ground soon to close, the trip was made even more special by them being able to relive their memories before Everton moves to its new stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront.
The guests were accompanied by former Everton players Francis Jeffers and Barry Horne. Striker Francis started his career at Everton, his boyhood club, making his debut as a 16-year-old. He would go on to enjoy two spells at the club, scoring 22 goals in 82 appearances. Barry played for the Toffees from 1992-1996 while captaining the Welsh national team and also won the FA Cup with Everton in 1995.
Joining the members on the tour, Jeffers and Horne reminisced on their playing careers and listened to the supporters’ memories of the club and Goodison throughout the years.
Managing Director of Sportsbreaks.com, Rob Slawson, commented: “This is our third activation with Sporting Memories and we are delighted to continue to help create experiences for the members and volunteers at the charity. Together we both believe in using sport to create amazing experiences and we are grateful to help raise awareness of living with dementia and the amazing volunteers in the UK.”
Chris Wilkins MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Sporting Memories, said: “For our third activation it was fantastic to continue our partnership by offering lifelong fans a fantastic experience at Goodison Park. We know how much impact sport can have on our members so this opportunity to meet Everton heroes of the past and witness what goes on behind-the-scenes is incredible to offer our members and provide some more fond memories around their club.”
Using their partnership for good, Sportsbreaks.com have been supporting Sporting Memories’ mission to help reduce isolation and improve physical and mental well-being to the members of the charity who live across the UK. The partnership aims to help the members by inviting them to a variety of events at world class sporting arenas, where they can create new sporting memories.
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For more information on Sporting Memories, please click HERE.
