FROM Bobby Kerr lifting the FA Cup to Bob Stokoe running onto the pitch, favourite memories of football are helping older men in Sunderland who are living with dementia.

Staff from Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust working with older men living with dementia are now using archive pictures of sporting legends and memorabilia to help unlock memories to improve the well-being of sports fans living with memory problems.

The innovative approach, which has drawn support from stars of sport and TV, has been developed by the Sporting Memories Network CIC, a social enterprise founded by former dementia care nurse Tony Jameson-Allen and fellow director Chris Wilkins.

Ward manager Geoff Willis arranged for the network to head to Cherry Knowle Hospital, near Sunderland, to deliver a training session for staff.

Along with the training guide, which contains iconic images of sport, the ward have been supplied with images of sporting legends.

Dementia seriously impairs short term memory, whilst memories from decades ago can remain crystal clear if prompted by images or conversation.

Sport can be a powerful trigger, with debates and discussions on favourite players, great victories and recollections of away trips and the inevitable defeats.

Appropriately, the ward will soon be moving to a purpose-built dementia care facility just a goal kick from Sunderland's Stadium of Light in October to Roker Ward, near the site of Sunderlands old Roker Park stadium.

Mr Willis said: "Relatives have commented on how animated their loved ones were reacting these special afternoons."

Sports fans can help support the work by sharing their own favourite memories of football and sport by visiting the network's Replay website at sportingmemories.org