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Volunteers Week – Meet Scottish Volunteer Andy!

Many of our volunteers have their own unique journey into the world of Sporting Memories and Andy Currie, who volunteers at our East Kilbride Club is no different. Andy has a vast passion for sport having been involved in athletics for a long time before he started to look after his late wife, who was living with dementia. 

We caught up with Andy just after the East Kilbride Club enjoyed a day at the Horse racing, as he started his conversation with us by recalling his first memories of Sporting Memories.

“The reason I joined was that my wife was in a group locally, which I visited one time to see how she was getting on, and that’s where I met Yvonne and Gary (who both help to run our Club in East Kilbride). They explained what Sporting Memories was and I thought it sounded quite good, so I thought I’d give it a go and five years later I’m still there!”

Andy’s wife was living with dementia, before she sadly passed away a few years ago, and it was the relationships he built with other members at the Club which kept him coming along to Sporting Memories and eventually becoming a volunteer, despite a deterioration in his own health.

“I think what I’ve taken most from my time with Sporting Memories is the friendships. At both clubs, all the members are great and my fellow volunteers are also super. Everyone gets stuck in and helps which creates a nice atmosphere too.

“I did help with a few bits at the start but worked my way into it over time, and it was about getting to know everyone and making sure I felt comfortable as well as everyone else really.”

Despite the challenges with his health, Andy tries to live a proactive life by taking part in a range of activities locally, and he mentions to Sporting Memories that he has a number of holidays planned throughout the year to keep him preoccupied. Andy said that being proactive was important to him.

“It definitely helps that I didn’t want to sit around and just vegetate in a way. I thinking keeping yourself busy and that’s the way to go and I tell people at Sporting Memories to do exactly the same.”

Andy has always been interested in sport and was heavily into athletics in his younger days. He also recalled being part of Highland Games locally as an official for over 25 years, also officiating at a Paralympic Games and making a cameo appearance on ‘A Question of Sport’ in relation to the 1986 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.

This has all been reflected in his passion for Sporting Memories, now playing a significant role as a volunteer in the sessions at East Kilbride, with his enthusiasm and fun-nature bringing energy and a warm spirit to the club.

We finished speaking with Andy by asking him about his advice for those considering volunteering for Sporting Memories, as well as sharing his thanks to those involved at the East Kilbride Club.

“I would say you should go to a Sporting Memories session, maybe even a couple and see how they work. From there you can make an opinion on whether it is for you – that’s what I did five years ago and I’ve been here since, so I think that’s a good way of judging it!

“I’d also just like to thank everyone at Sporting Memories for all the help that I’ve had from the likes of Yvonne and John up in East Kilbride – they’ve been really good with me and supported me during my time with them.”