Date posted:
Thu 18 April 2024
Everton in the Community is delighted to enter a long-term partnership with Christopher Ward, Official Global Timing Partner of Everton Football Club, to fund its long-standing Pass on the Memories programme which supports older people living with dementia and their carers.
First-team trio Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Tarkowski and James Garner paid a visit to the charity’s Digital Skills Lab to officially launch Everton in the Community’s new partnership with Christopher Ward and see the new intergenerational project in action.
Joined by participants from Pass on the Memories and pupils from Netherton Moss Primary School, the players got stuck into an ice-breaker activity using immersive sensory learning tools to help communication, coordination and fine motor skills before taking part in a LEGO Education session to build fairground rides, using basic coding and programming whilst having discussions with the participants about their memories of days at the fair in years gone.
British watch brand Christopher Ward became the Club’s Official Global Timing Partner in 2022/23 and since then, has displayed a strong commitment to supporting the local community in Liverpool 4 and the surrounding areas by raising vital funds for the Club’s official charity through high-profile fundraising activities.
And now Everton in the Community and Christopher Ward have officially joined forces to help create a brighter future for those living with dementia whilst also helping to bring memories to life for young and old.
Launched in 2013, Pass on the Memories supports people living with dementia and encourages them to share important memories and have fun with like-minded people. The programme provides vital respite to the carers where they are able to discuss issues and share experiences to build more robust social support networks.
Meanwhile, Everton in the Community’s E-STEAM programme was launched in 2021 to engage and inspire people, young and old, in the world of science, technology, engineering, arts and maths and was developed to tackle the widening skills gap for young people and develop skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
Everton in the Community CEO Sue Gregory said: “In Liverpool City Region, more than 15,000 people are currently living with dementia and our Pass on the Memories programme provides a lifeline to those individuals and their carers. Thanks to the valuable support from Christopher Ward, we can sustain and grow our provision and help to create a brighter future for those living with dementia.
“The intergenerational arm of the new funding will enable us to provide social benefits to both age groups with our older participants learning new skills from those younger, whilst our younger participants will learn about past experiences which will help create new memories and experiences which will last a lifetime.”
Mike France, CEO and co-founder of Christopher Ward, said: “Since day one as Everton’s first Global Timekeeping Partner, we knew that Everton’s deep-rooted commitment to their local community meant we were entering a partnership with a purpose beyond purely commercial benefits.
“Everton in the Community’s ‘Pass on the Memories’ programme, as well as important to us at Christopher Ward due to the link to time, is a vital project enhancing the quality of life for people in Liverpool. We’re incredibly proud to be funding this, along with investment in EitC’s E-STEAM programme, to celebrate the past, present and future, as well as give back to the local community.”
