Replay Motorsport: racing memories as therapy
New website aims to use motorsport to help sufferers of dementia
Now, a company called Sporting Memories Network is attempting to harness the positive impact on our minds of chatting about your favourite epic road trip, or your first experience of Le Mans, for the benefit of those with dementia and other such afflictions.
Its website (sportingmemories.org) offers users the chance to upload their own motorsport memories and browse those of others. The intention, according to Director Tony Jameson-Allen, is to "help older people who may have memory or mental health problems to re-capture the passion and enjoyment they have previously had for motorsport".
If this all seems a bit far-fetched, take a look at the effect music has on this chap, as featured in a recent episode of Russell Howard's Good News on the Beeb (starting at 26:15). It is this kind of regenerative ability the Sporting Memories Network aims to emulate. It has already embraced other sports such as football, and cars and motorsport is their newest venture.
The network already features many anecdotes from motorsport stars. These include rally driver David Higgins reflecting on his first karting experience, Ginetta boss Lawrence Tomlinson on racing at Le Mans and Paul O'Neill describing his first BTCC victory.
The website is now encouraging more memories to be added - and they want you to get involved. There is no word limit, and pictures of up to 2mb can also be added. The website is a bit of a fledgling affair currently, so more contributions will only improve it. And even if it won't serve any direct medical purpose for you, it should make for some great yarns...
Don't get me wrong some of the pictures are great and the website looks good but.................
A pertinent question to ask, especially in this day and age. Our aim is to spread the use of motorsports based reminiscence far and wide, it's not something that is used commonly with older people, yet the impact it has had on participants has been so rewarding.
Yes, the Replay site helps to promote the work, but its principal aim is to collect stories from motorsport that can be used in reminiscence sessions and ones that wouldn't otherwise get told. The stories from modern day can be used too, as several focus on emotions, rather than just the traditional race results, couple that with images and the materials become of use to groups, staff, volunteers and relatives.
Hope this allays any doubts, more than happy to answer any questions.
bw Tony aka Blot
A pertinent question to ask, especially in this day and age. Our aim is to spread the use of motorsports based reminiscence far and wide, it's not something that is used commonly with older people, yet the impact it has had on participants has been so rewarding.
Yes, the Replay site helps to promote the work, but its principal aim is to collect stories from motorsport that can be used in reminiscence sessions and ones that wouldn't otherwise get told. The stories from modern day can be used too, as several focus on emotions, rather than just the traditional race results, couple that with images and the materials become of use to groups, staff, volunteers and relatives.
Hope this allays any doubts, more than happy to answer any questions.
bw Tony aka Blot
Great to hear it.
Have met alot of people who promice to help people in need but never deliver.
Feel terrible being negative about it but now I know you are there to help I wish you alot of success
I'll be at Croft watching the BTCC swimming there this weekend (it's biblical rain up here again) so if any of you are there, I'll have my dictaphone in hand (ooo-err) and you can tell me a memory to put on the site there and then
For those who prefer to use t'interweb - read them or write them here - no need for registration and you don't have to put your email address in either (optional) we just use it to tell you your memory has been published.
http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/content/mem...
Cheers
Blot
Great to hear it.
Have met alot of people who promice to help people in need but never deliver.
Feel terrible being negative about it but now I know you are there to help I wish you alot of success
What has been amazing, when planning this project, was the willingness of incredibly busy people to give us their stories - I couldn't pick a favourite, but Jim Glickenhaus gave us 2 brilliant stories and much more of his time than we could have possibly hoped for. http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/memory/308-...
Any PH'ers in or around Edinburgh who want to find out a bit more are very welcome to drop by the National Portrait Gallery tomorrow and Saturday where we are running sessions as part of Alzheimer's Awareness Week up there. I'll be the one not wearing a sporran stood near the Sporting Memories Network banner just through to the left as you go in
I'll shut up now......
There is not much that really upsets me but seeing my Dad having to give up driving and pre medication his confusion was deeply upsetting,luckily Mother got on the case promptly.It's me on the Yellow Italjet circa 1977.
Love you Dad thanks for the great two wheeled childhood.
I can remember both like it was yesterday, so don't need to worry about dementia just yet.
Everyone recognises the first kink at LeMans, just dug my pics out, and yes looks like 1985.
But who recognises the exact location of the second shot?
I was there too, but my pics from that year show i was on the other side of the track behind that tree.
Regular place to get those first day cover shots in the bag.
Regards
Emley
Memory of the day - Mike Wilds lines up on the grid at the Watkins Glen GP 1974 with Lauda, Hunt, Hulme & Peterson..... http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/memory/326-...
A great memory from her of Interlagos 2008 & Lewis Hamilton
http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/memory/341-...
Memory of the Day- Linda Weldon Feldhorn and an encounter with Stirling Moss in 1966
http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/memory/298-...
http://motorsport.sportingmemories.org/memory/343-...
News soon about Chelsea Autolegends and our network. The event celebrates the history of motorsport, is held at the Royal Hospital and supports the Chelsea Pensioners charity.
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