Mullingar Shamrocks Healthy&Inclusive Club Initiative putting Westmeath Older Persons Centre Stage

Description

We wish to open up an invitation to Mullingar Shamrocks past players and retirees and some Westmeath GAA Healthy Clubs to bring a few older persons from each club to attend a Westmeath County GAA Match hin Cusack Park this summer. Cusack Stand will give them priority, sheltered and grouped together seating. They will be brought downstairs to the meeting room at half time for light refreshments tea, coffee, biscuits, sandwiches, photographs and a mingle. We will try to request an odd team player or 2 to come and greet them after the match, if possible. After the match we will go to a local hotel to heat up and for some refreshments, a chat and a catch up. Each attendee will receive a goodie bag witih the ICPOP Directory of Resources.

Aim of Initiative

To promote and role model Westmeath County Council’s Age Friendly / ASI Friends of Mullingar / NAAI‘s Sporting Memories / Croke Park’s Healthy and Inclusive Clubs Initiatives and encourage other clubs and counties to upscale these efficient programmes in their own local areas for this valued community of older persons.
•To implement the Healthy and Inclusive Club agendas.

To address 5 of the 8 World Health Organisation (WHO) Age Friendly Themes.

•Community Support and Health Services
•Communication and Information
•Social Participation
•Respect and Social Inclusion
•Outdoor Spaces and Buildings

Who is it aimed at

The initiative is aimed at Mullingar Shamrocks past players and retirees and some Westmeath GAA Healthy Clubs to bring a few older persons from each club to our proposed Westmeath County GAA match in Cusack Park this summer.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Funding as it will cost in the region of 5,000 euros to host this event.
2. Volunteers to help organise the day and also to help out on the day
3. Transport to and from the event.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Promoting and communicating the event to the attendees especially the active age groups.
2. Having enough volunteers to assist on the day.
3. Ensuring there is adequate transport to assist in bringing the active age to the event and making sure they get home safely.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Chance for past players and supporters to attend a Westmeath County Team match.
2. To re-engage with members who havent attended a match in a long time possibly due to mobility issues
3. To support, collaborate and partner with ASI Friends of Mullingar with becoming the most Dementia Friendly Town in Ireland. To implement a healthy and inclusive club