A group of Rovers’ fans have completed a 3km walk around Ewood Park to support a dementia charity.

It came ahead of Race Against Dementia Day (Sunday, January 21), a charity founded by Formula 1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart, after his wife Helen’s frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.

The charity supports early career researchers in many different aspects of dementia research.

More than 55 million people are affected globally by dementia and someone is diagnosed every three seconds. 

The annual awareness day is dedicated to raising funds to help beat dementia. 

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust’s 'Remember the Rovers' group completed the walk around Ewood Park last Wednesday to raise awareness for Race Against Dementia Day. 

'Remember the Rovers' offers support with people living with dementia, and despite the freezing temperatures, the group were determined to complete the walk, and did so inside in the concourse area of the stadium wearing Race Against Dementia pin badges. 

To recognise their achievement, the group were invited pitch side at half time this weekend when Rovers took on Huddersfield Town.

John, who regularly attends Remember the Rovers, said: “It is very important for us to raise awareness. My wife’s mother had dementia and it was terrible.

“The number of people that are suffering with dementia, we have friends who are looking after people with dementia and unfortunately it seems to be a problem that is growing.

“We need to keep raising awareness and hopefully in the near future we can find a cure.

“The walk we did was great, it was very cold but we enjoyed doing it. Again it has brought the group together to raise awareness and supporting one another. 

“We do have people who come to Remember the Rovers that are living with dementia and it is so sad to see what they’re living with. 

“We want to help them and get them involved in the sessions, talking about memories and Blackburn Rovers, and you can see it brings a smile to their faces. It is great to see that.”

Ben Howard, who leads the Remember the Rovers group, said: “Race Against Dementia Day resonates with many of our Remember the Rovers participants and we wanted to offer our support to raise awareness.

"The group were very keen to complete the 3km walk we challenged ourselves to do, and we did so, despite the difficult weather conditions.
 
Chair of trustees for Race Against Dementia Day, Mark Stewart, said: “More than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia.

“My beloved mother, Lady Stewart, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2015 - so we have direct experience of how the disease can devastate families.  

“My father, Sir Jackie, wants a cure for dementia to be found within his lifetime. This is the greatest challenge our family has ever faced.” 

To donate to support the work Race Against Dementia are doing, you can text Rovers to 70460 and  donate £3.