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The Bromley Boys bringing Sporting Memories to the local community

Just over a year ago, our Club at the home of Bromley FC was launched with the aim of bringing older people from the local community together, and it has succeeded in that aim thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of the club and their volunteers. 

The Club runs every fortnight at Hayes Lane, home of the high-flying National League Ravens, and welcomes a wide range of people from the local community who not only have a passion for football but also want to be part of a wider community.

A session of fun and laughter

During the two-hours that the club have together every other Wednesday, the conversations are in full-flow between the Club members and the brilliant volunteers who help to run the session.

Whether it’s Roy compering the quiz, Dave and Barry supporting him and checking everyone is settled and ready to enjoy the session or Mickey who offers the funny quip alongside a tea or a coffee, there is a sense of warmth and humour which binds this group together.

After a quiz containing a range of challenging sporting and general knowledge questions from times gone by and today, there is the chance for members to chat amongst themselves before they wrap up with their eyes down on the Bingo prize. In this session the prizes are cuddly toys knitted by one of the members.

Meeting one of the real-life Bromley Boys

The club wouldn’t be the place it is without the passionate volunteers, who are all connected as friends through their enjoyment of Bromley FC. It was through this and their connection to the Ravens Chat – the Bromley FC in the Community initiative – that inspired the launch of their own Sporting Memories club.

We spoke with Roy Oliver, who is infamous in this part of the world for his feature in ‘The Bromley Boys’ book and film, about how the Club has impacted on those that have attended regularly.

“It’s all through the Ravens Chat and Bromley FC in the Community that we got involved in this, and for me it’s all about what we can do for other people in the community. Once they’re here they really do enjoy it and that is the most important thing for me, because if you enjoy it, you always come back, and that’s what we’ve seen here at the Club.

“I always make a point of going around the group to see how everyone is doing, and also to make the newcomers feel welcomed. From those that have come regularly I can see how more confident they have become just by being here and having a chat.

“A lot of people can be lonely and it’s important that you try to get out when you can, so doing something like this can be the highlight of someone’s week and that’s why we do it.”

Supporting Bromley FC's efforts in the community

We also caught up with Matt Hall, Bromley FC's Head of Community, as he detailed how the Sporting Memories Club has assisted with their efforts to engage with older people in the local area. 

"Sporting Memories has really helped us further our impact on the Community," Matt began. "It's a wonderful programme, and we have been blessed to have such keen volunteers step up to the plate and run these sessions; it has given them a new lease of life! The participants come from varied backgrounds and often attend with family members, or carers. 

"The involvement of these people is vital, and what has been created as a result is a welcoming, relaxed and accepting culture and atmosphere. The volunteers have worked with the resources provided, and adapted sessions to fit the need of our growing participant base, which is great to see.

"We have also worked with the Bromley Dementia Support Hub to promote the sessions and are grateful for their support. In recent weeks, we've had 30-40 participants attend, which we are delighted with, and even more so, seeing all the smiles on faces!"

If you would like to find out more about our Club at Bromley, get in touch with Matt via Matt.Hall@bromleyfc.co.uk