News

Assessing the impact of our Replay Sports and Social Club

Members involved in our Replay Sports and Social Club based at Kirkcaldy Rugby Club showed improvements in their physical health and wellbeing during a six-month period according to new research published by the Observatory for Sport in Scotland (OSS).

In Autumn 2022, Sporting Memories Scotland commissioned the OSS to assess the impact of the newly formed club activities - thanks to support from the Age Scotland and About Dementia’s Partnership Development Fund – based on physical and mental wellbeing, functional fitness, loneliness and quality of life over a six-month timeframe from its inception.

Sporting Memories created the idea of the ‘Replay Sports & Social Clubs’ in Kirkcaldy – as a project to enhance the opportunity for club members to experience further regular activities throughout the week, alongside the usual once-a-week Sporting Memories session, by developing a weekly schedule of exercise and activities designed for older people available in the local area, with the support of local partners and organisations.

Over the course of the research period, the researchers at the OSS revealed that the Replay Sports and Social Club additional sport activity was welcomed by members as a valuable addition to their weekly diary, with significant benefits for mental health potentially with participants feeling that the new club environment and social context was crucial to engagement in the activity and its success.

Over six-months, 15 club members participated in the research through interviews with researchers, it was identified that members view the clubs as a good route to reintroduce older adults to more sport and physical activity. The insights from members also showed that the combination of the opportunity to chat and reminisce in a safe and social environment alongside and the activity was key in the success of the club.

Reflecting on the research, Chris Wilkins, CEO and Co-Founder of Sporting Memories, said: “We are grateful to the Observatory for Sport in Scotland for their findings into our newly formed Replay Sports and Social club at Kirkcaldy Rugby Club.”

“The findings of the research show that the offer of more activity on a regular basis is welcomed by club members – and that our blend of reminiscence and inclusive physical activities is one that our members get a lot of enjoyment from.

“The next stage for us here at Sporting Memories is how with this insight we can develop the Replay Sports and Social Club model to ensure that we can expand this to other areas.”

To read the executive summary from the Observatory for Sport in Scotland’s research, click here.

And to read the full report, please visit the OSS website at this link.

Sporting Memories would like to thank the Age Scotland and About Dementia’s Partnership Development Fund for making this research project possible.