185: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 185185: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 185
UK Health Radio Podcast
Pete Hill talks with Harvey Zemmel about how UK football clubs are supporting people living with dementia through varied community programmes. The conversation outlines different models, the power of sporting memories, and the challenges of measuring impact while keeping dignity and inclusion at the centre.
39:58•9 Oct 2026
Football, Dementia and Community: Harvey Zemmel on Clubs Making a Difference
Episode Overview
- Football clubs can act as powerful community hubs for people living with dementia and their carers.
- There is no single model for dementia support; clubs benefit from listening to their communities and adapting over time.
- Inclusive groups that avoid overt dementia labels may reduce stigma and help people feel accepted.
- Sporting memories, memorabilia and ex‑players can stimulate conversation, connection and reduced distress for some people with dementia.
- Impact measurement varies widely, but repeated attendance and carers’ stories suggest these programmes can make a meaningful difference.
“Even if it's only for that 90 minute Tuesday afternoon, then that is, it's still powerful.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol while also caring about wider health and community? This chat between Pete Hill and Harvey Zemmel shines a light on how football clubs are quietly supporting people living with dementia, and why that matters to anyone interested in compassionate, practical care.
Harvey, founder of Dementia Impact and a long‑time dementia care home owner, talks about his love of football and how a simple question sparked his work: what happens to lifelong fans who can’t get to matches anymore because of dementia? From there, he started talking to clubs and writing reports on how they support fans and former players.
You’ll hear about nine very different clubs — from Liverpool and Norwich to Stockport County and Chelsea — and the varied ways they’re helping. Some run in‑house dementia groups at the stadium with reminiscing, quizzes, ex‑players and chair‑based activities. Others team up with organisations like the Alzheimer’s Society, offering programmes such as “Singing for the Brain” on site. Stockport County stands out for mixing older people with and without dementia in one group to reduce loneliness without labelling anyone.
Chelsea takes a different route with a specially designed print magazine aimed at people living with dementia. Harvey stresses that there’s no single “right” model, and that clubs work best when they listen to their local community rather than impose a fixed programme.
Measurement of impact ranges from detailed surveys to simple observations like, “they keep coming back every week”, yet the shared sense is that these sessions bring people to life, reigniting treasured memories and easing distress, even if just for a short time. If you care about dementia, sobriety, or building kinder communities, this conversation might get you thinking: how could your own local clubs and groups play a bigger part in someone’s recovery story?
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