Derby County Community Trust is delivering a fan-focused project with support from the Premier League Fans Fund and Primary Healthcare Derby (PHD).

Raminiscence uses the reach and appeal of Derby County Football Club to support people living with dementia and their carers to come together, relive special Derby County moments, enjoy light exercise and socialise with others.

This project will be delivered in partnership with PHD, who have provided match funding to help make the programme possible. Working closely with Derby County Community Trust, PHD has helped design the referral process and will support the identification of participants who would benefit from the programme. Their team of qualified healthcare professionals will play an active role in supporting sessions, as well as helping to monitor and evaluate the programme’s impact, including gathering feedback from participants to help shape future improvements.

John Whiting, Chief Operating Officer, Primary Healthcare Derby Limited, said: “We have worked successfully with Derby County Community Trust before and are delighted to build on that relationship through the Raminiscence programme. This partnership brings together our primary care expertise and the Trust’s strong community connections to support people living with dementia and their carers across the patient population served by Primary Healthcare Derby through the Greater Derby and Oakdale Park PCN’s. We are excited to create opportunities for people to connect, share memories and access support, while recognising the vital role of carers and their own need for practical assistance and companionship.”

The Premier League Fans Fund provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game to strengthen connections between them, their fans, and local communities. The fund supports a range of fan-focused and fan-led projects, helping to foster a sense of belonging through meaningful engagement. This includes schemes for under-represented groups, to further develop an inclusive and welcoming matchday experience for everyone.

Following an initial £5million commitment in 2023-2025, the Premier League has committed a further £5million to the fund from 2026-2028. This will be administered through the Premier League Foundation.  During the fund’s first phase, more than 100 projects engaged over 18,000 participants through nearly 9,000 sessions.

Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “Fans are at the heart of football, and the strong connection between clubs and their supporters plays a vital role in the success of the game and the communities it serves.

“The Premier League Fans Fund is helping clubs strengthen those relationships by supporting projects that respond to the needs and interests of their fans. Through investment in initiatives at Premier League, EFL and WSL clubs across England and Wales, the Fund will help create more inclusive, engaging and meaningful opportunities for supporters, while delivering lasting benefits in communities and ensuring football remains a positive experience for all.”

In season 2026/27, Premier League funding will support 137 fan-led projects that respond to local need, and which aim to improve the match day environment for fans, addressing a range of themes such as community cohesion; education, underrepresented fan groups and health and well-being. Funding is flexible to empower professional football clubs, and their club charities, to develop fan-focused and fan-led projects that respond directly to the needs of their local community.

Derby County Community Trust will be holding an information and awareness event for both practitioners and potential participants on Monday 23^rd November 2027, 11am-2pm at Pride Park Stadium. Sign up here – https://derbycountycommunitytrust.com/event/raminiscence-information-and-awareness-event/

To find out more about the Premier League Fans Fund, please visit www.premierleague.com