Walking rugby community adds dementia-friendly sessions
Members of Kendal Auld Greys walking rugby group are supporting monthly dementia-friendly ball skills sessions at Kendal Rugby Club, giving people living with dementia and their carers an opportunity to take part in adapted activities.
The initiative brings volunteers from the walking rugby group together with charity Dignity in Dementia to run Rugby Ball Skills sessions for people living with dementia and their carers.
For Peter Halsall, a co-ordinator of the Auld Greys, the “main success metric is how much laughing there is”.
The idea grew from the walking rugby group’s own experience. Some people living with dementia had come along to try walking rugby and could take part with one-to-one support, but found the group format difficult.
There was an appetite to participate but the question was how to offer something that worked for them.
Peter approached Dignity in Dementia, whose response was enthusiastic. The resulting sessions cater for those who are mobile and those who participate seated.
Activities include relay games, throwing balls into a bucket and catching practice with different-sized foam rugby balls.
The programme has also made room for skittles and beachball volleyball, which Peter reports has been a particular success.
What began with rugby in mind has become a broader mix of ball games, shaped around how people can participate rather than a conventional version of the rugby itself.
