Holt Rugby Club took the first steps to becoming a Dementia Friendly Club on Thursday evening. Dementia is an ever increasing health problem particularly in North Norfolk. The club chaplain, Nick Bell, and the Youth Chairman, Richard Gorrod, hosted an evening of presentations and workshops led by local practitioners including Dr. Jonathan Hillam (Old Age Psychiatrist), Zena Aldridge (Senior Consultant Admiral Nurse), Sarah Framer-Wright (Admiral Nurse for North Norfolk), Greg Cooper and Eleanor Sidgewick (Holt Dementia Friendly Community Steering Group), Joanne Farnworth (Admiral Nurse) and Kate Pollicott-Reid (Mental Health Nurse).

Nick Bell commented:" At Holt Rugby Club we see our role as being as inclusive as we can be to all members of the community. By being aware, we can be more tolerant and welcoming of people living with dementia. We love our rugby and winning games and seeing good rugby but the club is more than this".
Richard Gorrod imagines someone with dementia enjoying being at the club, watching the game with a beer in hand or watching grandchildren scoring tries in the minis section of the club, thereby giving carers some respite.
The club looks forward to working further with some of the findings of the workshop sessions and both Nick and Richard thank everyone at the club for their support and in particular members of the Main Committee who are dedicatedly and fully behind this initiative.