Impact Stories

Last week people across the country took part in Race Against Dementia Day, raising funds and awareness to help beat dementia. In 2023, the BHAFC Foundation started running a group to support Albion fans with mild to moderate dementia.

Albion Memories invites fans and former players to come together once a month to reminisce, have a chat, and be active together.

There are two Albion Memories groups who meet monthly, often meeting at the Amex or the Foundation’s Community Hub in Brighton.

A lot of people who come to Albion Memories are accompanied by a family member or carer. Albion fan Andy has been bringing his dad David to Albion Memories sessions for about 18 months, and he says they give him a chance to relax and enjoy himself.

“What the Foundation does is amazing, not only for people with dementia but for people like myself who are carers,” Andy said.

“It gives us an environment to come and meet other people in a similar position to us. It’s a great atmosphere here, everyone’s so friendly, chatty, and helpful.

“It’s lovely, it gives us a bit of free time. We haven’t got to think about anything, we can just enjoy telling stories of the old days and the memories of football that we have.”

The group are often visited by special guests and former Albion players – Kerry Mayo, Alan Mullery, and Andy Rollings among others have been keen to get involved.

Another former player (and Foundation legend) Guy Butters helps to run the programme.

“We get really good feedback from everyone, a lot of smiles on faces,” Guy said, “We come in and have a meeting, talk about football matches from the past and look to the weekend ahead, and hopefully that sparks off some memories that people have from supporting the Albion in the past.

“The people that come along with them, family members etc, tell us that they really look forward to these days and they go home and talk a lot about it.”

Guy has seen dozens of people enjoy the group over the past two years, and he says that special guests coming in has a huge impact.

“We’ve been inundated with guests really,” he said.

“Andy Rollings comes in quite regularly and talks about his football career, we’ve had Martin Perry talk about the club’s journey building the stadium and all the battles they had with the Goldstone Ground, and we even had Lord Bassam come in to talk about his dealings with John Prescott when they were lobbying parliament for the stadium.

“Alan Mullery comes to talk about his managerial career and it’s like gold dust. When you see the smiles on people’s faces and the interactions everyone has with him, it’s a real blessing for us that he can join in.”

During kitman Buzz’s charity walk across Sussex last year, he stopped along the way at the Foundation’s Community Hub to join in a special Albion Memories session.

He was joined by Lewis Dunk, Billy Gilmour and Fabian Hurzeler, and Guy says he’s never seen the group so excited.

“Things like that are brilliant, and it just goes to show what a great community club we have at the Albion.”

As part of the programme the group sometimes take part in fitness sessions, and they’ve recently started playing boccia (a seated Paralympic ball sport similar to bowls),

“We’ve been playing boccia with the Albion Memories group, and Foundation coach Kieran came in to teach everyone,” Guy said, “It gets very competitive!”

For Andy and dad David, getting to meet fellow Albion fans in the same boat is what it’s all about.

“Everyone’s got something in common, we’ve all followed the Albion for many years,” Andy said. “To listen to the old stories, especially when we have former players and guests who come to visit us, it’s wonderful.

“I’d encourage anybody to come along. It’s a lovely, friendly bunch, and a very safe environment. We get a lot out of this, it’s fantastic.”

If you’d like to find out more about Albion Memories, please email health@bhafcfoundation.org.uk.