FOOTBALL MEMORIES – Alzheimer’s & Dementia program and "DEES without frontiers".

FIRSTLY: FOOTBALL MEMORIES: This is a fantastic project that we currently run within Dens Park stadium on a monthly basis with 12-16 participants that are brought into the club by carer’s or family, and then we, at our Trust, deliver a “memories” program based on football and other sports, and the benefits are there for all to see as it really opens up the minds of the affected, and they have great fun over this 2 hour session. We at the DFC Trust would love to expand this by delivering this program on a weekly basis, delivered to the various care homes throughout Dundee and area, which would benefit up to 20 participants at each care home of which there are many. This program would not otherwise be available to these people if we did not deliver it to their home, as 90% of those in need cannot be taken to our session at Dens Park. We are seeking funding for transport, salaries, training, to allow us to deliver weekly sessions in these care homes themselves, throughout our region.

SECONDLY: " DEES without frontiers" This exciting project, a first of its kind in the SPFL, and a first for Dundee Football Club's charity partners (DFCCT ), will see us looking after the care and needs of 20 successful applicants from an initial 75 nominees, who will undertake a 3 month educational training program at Dens Park, followed by a 1 week joint association trip with this projects partners " Fundacion Cordoba CF" which is the equivalent of our trust but at Cordoba FC in Andalusia, Spain. The objectives of ‘Dees Without Frontiers' are to use the influence of Dundee Football Club in the Community Trust to harness the imagination of young people using football as the hook; to improve their health and wellbeing - physical, mental, economic and social.

There is a need to reach young people from certain areas of our city who are at risk of early disengagement from education, to improve their employability, educational attainment, social skills, cultural awareness, aspirations, confidence, and tolerance. In particular we aim to reach out to marginalised young people to promote diversity, intercultural dialogue, enhance digital literacy, critical thinking and a sense of initiative. We aim to create a life-changing project for participants to enhance their lives and that of their families and future generations. Prior to the mobility element of the programme in October, we are to carry out an intensive and comprehensive 12-week preparatory programme during July, August and September 2018 which will prepare the young people so that they can obtain maximum benefit from the 7-day Cordoba visit starting 10 October 2018. The post-mobility period will run for one week commencing 22 October. It is these elements of the programme for which had to seek funding. (Our successful Erasmus + award will cover part costs of the actual visit w/c 10 October so the mobility phase is not included in this bid.) We are therefore seeking further funds, required to support the costs of staff time and some resources to successfully deliver these essential preparation and evaluation periods.

We have been part funded by ERASMUS + and the BIG LOTTERY but still need additional funding to allow us to complete the project.

In Aprl 219 I am doing the 35 day 800km Camino de Santiago Hike, I will be paying all of my own expenses of the journey, and donating any shortfalls in my fund raising, to reach our goal and be able to deliver this fantastically rewarding program. All those who donate to our cause will be acknowledged in our daily blog of the journey, and acknowledged as a sponsor on our web site www.dfccommunitytrust.org.uk.

Please give what you can so that we can give what we can, back into the community. You can donate via:

https://dundeekiltwalk2018.everydayhero.com/uk/steve

Thank You. Steve Martin, Director Dundee Football Club, and CEO of DFC in the Community Trust.