This is a particularly poignant time for a number of families very closely associated with Celtic Football Club who are living with dementia.

In 2017, as part of our #LionsLegacy campaign to commemorate 50 years since that famous win in Lisbon, the Club and its charitable arm pledged to take action through a series of bespoke dementia care projects designed to improve the quality of life for participants and their carers.

Our ‘Lions Lunch Breaks’ projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh adopt a person-centred approach, delivering positive outcomes through activities tailored specifically to the needs of the person.

Activities range from simple entertainment, to offering a chance to learn a new skill or activity that may help with stress reduction.

On a typical day, the project offers a wide-ranging itinerary of physical activity, engaging methods of social interaction and innovative workshops to foster creativity and enjoyment in participants including music, arts & crafts, and interactive poetry sessions.

At the heart of the project, is the daily lunch meal shared between participants.

Time and again, attendees speak of how much the meal means to them, emphasising the value of sharing a table with their fellows and appreciating the company of others who face similar challenges – put simply, it gives everyone an opportunity to make friends and share their experiences.

Connecting people is a cornerstone of ‘Lions Lunch Breaks’, staff work closely with participants and carers to maintain and build on their existing social networks, maximising the natural support they receive from those around them, as well as reducing isolation and future reliance on care services.

Participants, many of whom struggle with memory and cognitive function, attest to feeling positive within the inspirational surroundings of Celtic Park, often remarking that the project provides stability, builds resilience and improves their mood and motivation.