Care home residents become season ticket holders for Blackburn Rovers Football Club

Residents from EachStep Blackburn specialist dementia care home now have season tickets for Blackburn Rovers Football Club and due to a partnership between the home and club they received a special exclusive tour of the stadium.

EachStep has bought four season tickets so that two people supported at the care home, and their care workers, can cheer on Rovers at home this season.

Susan Adlum, who lives at EachStep, was invited by the club, along with its service manager, Phil Benson, to select the care home’s seats at the stadium. They were also treated to an exclusive tour of Ewood Park where they visited the Directors Box, the changing rooms and the silverware area, where they enjoyed seeing the famous Premier League trophy.

The home has formed an innovative partnership with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust which has seen them work together to create a special sports themed room in the home, with the Trust donating historic images and memorabilia to support reminiscence. They have also delivered football related activity sessions at the home.

Phil Benson, service manager at EachStep Blackburn, said: “Football is one of the most popular topics of conversation at EachStep Blackburn, and our work with Rovers has helped the people we support to stay connected with the club that they love. By taking the unique step of purchasing season tickets for the people we support, with the help of the club, we can ensure that they don’t just enjoy the Rovers memories of their past but can create new ones too.”

Susan Adlum, who lives at at EachStep Blackburn, called it an “honour to visit Ewood Park and pick our season tickets”.

She added: “The club arranged a real VIP experience for us, and it was incredible to go behind the scenes in the famous stadium. I can’t wait now to come back and cheer on the team, with other people supported at EachStep Blackburn!”

Adrian Ward, media, events and motivate! coordinator at Blackburn Rovers, said: "I've never known a residential care home that takes the time and care to purchase season tickets for people it supports, and then devote the volunteers to bring them to matches. I hope that their efforts really pay off and that they have a great time at Ewood Park this season, supporting the team that they love.”

EachStep Blackburn is a £5m state-of-the-art dementia care home that provides specialist residential, nursing and respite care to up to 64 people. It is part of the national social care charity, Community Integrated Care. EachStep Blackburn adopts an innovative model of care that focusses on supporting people to stay active and keep in touch with their passions and interests.

click here for more details or to contact Eachstep Blackburn