Feature
'Fore' Get Me Not Golf:
Bringing joy to dementia sufferers
PGA professional Tony Pennock set up 'Fore' Get Me Not Golf after attending a cafe for people living with dementia in Suffolk
Amid the pain of seeing his parents suffer with dementia, Tony Pennock found the strength to do something to help others carrying the burden of the disease.
Having lost his mum to dementia, his 90-year-old dad has been living with it for the past four years.
Where others might have felt at a loss, Pennock, a PGA professional and General Manager at Seckford Golf Club, was inspired to do something, and he hopes others will be moved to action as World Alzheimer's Day puts the issue in the spotlight on 21 September.
Pennock's lightbulb moment came after visiting his beloved Ipswich Town, who were hosting a 'dementia cafe' at their Portman Road ground. It was a place where those living with the disease, as well as their carers, could meet and talk about a shared passion.
"If you've ever been touched by dementia or anyone in the family has ever had it, it's just an incredibly horrible thing," said Pennock, who attended with his dad.
"I've always been someone who likes to try and help and to do things, and I felt like I had to do something."
Among the people Pennock met at the cafe was Wendy Chard from the private care company Home Instead, and the two discussed other avenues to provide support. From that, 'Fore' Get Me Not Golf was born, an initiative providing monthly sessions for dementia sufferers. The impact was immediate.
“You give them a golf club and they can hit a ball like they've never forgotten”
"We set up a little cafe at the golf club and got people out on the range," said Pennock. "We have people who might not have played golf for 10 years but always used to, and you give them a golf club and they can hit a ball like they've never forgotten.
"You can see it lights them up and it gives you a huge sense of satisfaction. The carers can stay and hit balls as well or have a bit of respite, and it's just a wonderful thing.
"I've been a golf pro for 48 years now, and I think it's the best thing I've ever done, the most satisfying."
It started off as once a month but demand quickly grew, leading to a second session being put on, and the initiative soon began to gain attention.
Dereham Golf Club started providing sessions at the start of this year and Pennock hopes to see further growth, with conversations ongoing about how to increase the reach of 'Fore' Get Me Not Golf and similar initiatives.
"The bigger picture going down the line is that if we could get some proper funding to do this, then it would open the door for us to be able to go out to every golf club and encourage them to get involved," he added.
About World Alzheimer's Day
Held on 21 September each year, World Alzheimer's Day is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of the disease.
It seeks to provide education to demystify dementia, encouraging support for those who live with it, either directly or indirectly.
Nearly 50 million people worldwide have dementia and charities such as the Alzheimer's Society are at the forefront of tackling this global challenge.
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