Cricket Ireland has raised £1,495 for Dementia NI following its Official Series Partnership during the Ireland Men v India international series in Belfast.
The initiative brought together matchday collections and the auction of player-worn and signed shirts through Cricket Ireland’s MatchWornShirt initiative, helping to raise funds and awareness in support of people living with dementia across Northern Ireland.
The funds will support Dementia NI’s life-changing services, helping to empower people living with dementia to live well, have their voices heard and drive positive change across Northern Ireland.
Throughout the campaign, Cricket Ireland worked alongside Dementia NI to raise awareness, encourage conversation and help challenge perceptions of dementia among supporters and local communities.
Dementia NI’s Empowerment Groups operate throughout Northern Ireland. They provide peer support while enabling people living with dementia to make improvements to services, lead awareness-raising activities and challenge the stigma of dementia.
The need for dementia support continues to grow. The number of people in Northern Ireland living with dementia is expected to rise from 25,000 to 43,000 by 2040. Across Ireland, approximately 64,000 people are currently living with dementia, with that figure projected to increase to 150,000 by 2045.
Dementia NI Member Walter Montgomery, who lives with Alzheimer’s disease, said:
“Cricket has played such an important part in my life since I was a wee boy. I can remember the matches I played, the days I umpired, the grounds, the scores and even some of the good, bad and ugly moments!
I was very grateful to be invited to attend a practice day at Stormont by Cricket Ireland. I was treated like a VIP, got to wear my official umpire gear again, meet the players and share some of my stories about my life as a cricket player and an umpire. Watching the match with my son Kyle was a wonderful experience. And to top it all off – Ireland won!
I think it’s great that Cricket Ireland are supporting Dementia NI and I hope sharing my story will help people to understand that, even when someone is living with dementia, the memories and things they love can still be there. I’m very grateful to Cricket Ireland for giving me such a special opportunity.”
Reflecting on the partnership, Ireland opening batter Ross Adair, said:
“I’d like to sincerely thank everyone at Dementia NI for the fantastic work they do supporting people living with dementia, as well as all the supporters who donated during the India series and took part in the MatchWornShirt auction. The generosity shown throughout the campaign has been incredible, and I’m delighted that together we’ve been able to raise funds and awareness for a cause that’s very important both to me and my family, as well as many others across Ireland.”
Karen Kerr, Head of Engagement at Dementia NI, said:
“We were delighted to partner with Cricket Ireland during the Ireland Men v India series and are incredibly grateful to the team and supporters for raising funds through matchday activities and the auction of player-signed shirts. Their generosity will help us continue to empower people living with dementia through our life-changing services, while raising awareness, challenging perceptions, and building greater understanding of dementia across our communities.”
Cricket Ireland would like to thank supporters, players, volunteers and all those who contributed to the campaign and helped shine a spotlight on the important work being delivered by Dementia NI.
To learn more about Dementia NI, access support services, or make a donation to help empower people living with dementia to live well, visit Dementia NI.
