Ahead of the 2023 EFL Awards taking place this Sunday, we've been taking a closer look at Boro's four nominations. This time, it's the club's selection on the shortlist for the EFL Diversity Award.
A relatively new prize, Blackburn Rovers were the inaugural winners of the EFL Diversity Award last season for their Ewood Express initiative, which provides a bus service for children to be collected directly from their school, mosque or community group to attend home matches.
This season, we join Watford and Bolton Wanderers in the running in recognition of our work around dementia.
As a dementia-friendly football club, we support members of our community diagnosed with dementia, both on a matchday and throughout the week.
Working closely with the club’s independent charity MFC Foundation as well as Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough, we reach out to those living with dementia, and their families, to ensure they have the best experience and opportunities possible.
Ahead of any matchday at the Riverside Stadium, fans who are living with dementia or their support network can contact the club via email supporters@mfc.co.uk to arrange a pre-stadium visit. These visits help such individuals feel more safe, more comfortable and at home on matchday.
We also distribute discrete pin badges, allowing our stewarding team to identify any supporter living with dementia and meaning they can provide any additional support that is required.
Matchdays aren’t the only reason for people in our community who are living with dementia to visit the Riverside.
The hugely successful Dementia Dances, hosted by the club and led by staff from MFC Foundation, have now been running for over a year and are more popular than ever. The events are open for anyone living with dementia and their family, a chance to socialise and have a dance!
Legendary Boro striker Alan Peacock was diagnosed with dementia in 2018, and in his ambassadorial role has since been working with MFC Foundation to raise awareness of the condition and offer support to others living with the illness.
Alan, who played for England at the World Cup as well as starring for the Boro, regularly visits care homes in the local area, bringing along a ‘memory box’ of historic memorabilia. Such props and photos stimulate the mind and evoke memories for the residents while also improving their mental health and well-being.
Taking this a step further, MFC Foundation - in partnership with Joslin Rhodes Pension and Retirement Planning - have hosted a number of full exhibitions which have been very well attended and received. The Alan Peacock memory boxes continue to be available from MFC Foundation for any individual living with dementia.
For more information on any of the above including access to the Dementia Dances, an dementia pin badges please contact supporters@mfc.co.uk.
What is RiverSideBySide?
RiversideBySide is the banner campaign Boro’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, both within the club and out in the Teesside community.
Working closely with independent charitable arm MFC Foundation, the RiverSideBySide campaign was first established in 2017 with the intention of making the club a more welcoming place for supporters, staff, and any other stakeholders.
And in December 2022, we were officially awarded the Premier League Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS) to Intermediate level, following a presentation to an independent panel.
As outlined in our Statement of Commitment, we are “committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect; by recognising inequalities exist; by taking steps to address them; and by providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”
Take a look at some recent case studies of RiverSideBySide's impact in our annual report below.