Shinty, Community and Dementia Support in the Highlands
Badenoch Shinty Memories brings people together in the central Highlands through the power of sport, heritage and shared experience. While open to all, it has a special focus on supporting older people, particularly those living with dementia, and tackling social isolation in rural communities.
Thanks to the support of Age Scotland’s Encouraging and Supporting Grassroots Activity (ESGA) Fund, provided by the Scottish Government, Badenoch Shinty Memories has been able to expand its activities, create new partnerships and strengthen its role as a lifeline for many in the community. We spoke to members of the group to hear their story in their own words.
Can you tell us about your group and its mission or goals?
John Mackenzie, Founding Member of Badenoch Shinty Memories, said:
“Our aim is to support elderly people who may be experiencing social isolation, loneliness, living with dementia and their families by giving them opportunities to socialise and enjoy meaningful activities.
“The inspiration came from our lifelong sporting friendship through shinty. After attending a Sporting Seminar on dementia some years ago, we knew we wanted to do something for our community. We started talking, got a team together and before long the Badenoch Shinty Memories group was born. From the beginning our mission has been simple, to create a supportive and dementia-friendly community. The rest, as they say, is history!”
What were the key challenges your community faced, particularly around dementia support?
Janet Wotherspoon, Chairperson for Badenoch Shinty Memories, said:
“Isolation and limited local support were big issues. Medical services can only offer so much and for many people it leaves a big gap. Stigma around dementia is also a constant challenge, and one we continue to tackle by keeping our group open to all.
“At that time, awareness and understanding of dementia was not spoken about and sadly we began to see more of our shinty friends and family impacted by it. It became clear we needed more support and training. But all of that required funding, good organisation and above all, committed volunteers!”
How is your group helping to address these gaps and support individuals living with dementia and their carers?
Mairi Brown, Project Officer for Badenoch Shinty Memories, said:
“We’ve found that offering regular activities makes a huge difference in keeping people connected to their neighbours, friends and the wider community. These social outlets play an important role in supporting the overall wellbeing of both those living with dementia and their carers. The activities themselves are varied. Sometimes they’re shinty-related, a visit to a garden centre, Burns supper or the archives in the local Highland Folk Museum. That variety is important; it keeps things engaging and enjoyable for everyone.”
Reflecting on the impact of the project, what have been the most significant changes for your group and its members since receiving ESGA funding?
Mairi Brown said:
“The funding really allowed us to build on what on what was started some years ago. We’ve been able to introduce more activities and offer greater variety like adaptable cycling, gardening projects, visiting other communities and singing sessions. One highlight to mention is Age Scotland’s Body Boosting Bingo, such a tremendous success, mixing movement with music and plenty of laughter.
“Working with partners like Community ConnXions has also been a big change, as it’s allowed us to travel further and include people who might otherwise have been unable to join in. As a result, our profile and reputation in the community has grown, our members have more confidence in what we offer and there’s a real sense of pride in the service we provide.”
Has receiving funding helped you develop sustainable, longer-term work or introduce new activities and services?
Janet Wotherspoon said:
“100%! The funding has given us the security to think more long-term, even though we still rely on annual grants and outside support. That confidence has meant we can invest in the project and actively seek other sources of funding. One of the biggest changes is that we’ve been able to employ Mairi as our Project Officer to coordinate what we do.
“Becoming a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) has been another significant step forward. We’ve also been able to form new partnerships and collaborations, all of which have been warmly received by our community.”
What are your hopes and plans for the future of your group?
Mairi Brown said:
“We’d like to expand our reach into the Strathspey end of the valley, supported by additional funding from other sources. With this we’ll work more closely with medical practices through Community Link Workers. Another exciting prospect is becoming a registered Meeting Centre, which would formalise the kind of community-based dementia support we’re already providing.
“We’ll continue to involve local schools, whether that’s giving young people dementia training, inviting them to social activities or offering them valuable work experience, an important aspect of our community work. Ultimately, we want to help Badenoch and Strathspey become truly dementia-friendly communities.”
You can find out more about our ESGA fund and apply here. Applications are open until Friday 5th September.
