The aim of our Inspired Generations project was to connect local people, young and old, using shared experiences of sport and clubs in the Winchester area.

Winchester has several community sports clubs that have a long history, including: Winchester City Penguins Swimming Club (dates from 1860s, constituted as Winchester City Penguins in 1948); Winchester City Football Club (founded 1884); Winchester Hockey Club (founded 1891); and Winchester Rugby Football Club (founded 1929). Other sports venues and clubs have come and gone and in some cases reappeared! All in all, Winchester has a rich sporting history – and present, and hopefully future.

Inspired Generations aimed to chart this sporting history, and showcase and celebrate it, for example by:
• Supporting Winchester's community sports clubs to develop alumni networks.
• Documenting the history of sport and clubs in Winchester, using photographs, memorabilia, personal testimonies etc. We helped the Winchester Lido to get involved in the annual Winchester Heritage Open Day event, where they put on a history display and other activities.
• Holding ‘Sporting Memories’ events, where local residents can meet each other and share stories – we played a catalytic role in bringing the national Sporting Memories Network to Hampshire and in setting up a Winchester group.
• Screening old sports footage at the Mucky Duck, so that older residents can reminisce and younger residents can witness famous moments in history – the pub has now been doing this for a couple of years.

In this way, Inspired Generations aims to:
• Foster intergenerational communication and understanding;
• Support those experiencing memory loss or more serious conditions such as dementia;
• Build a sense of local pride in Winchester’s sporting history and identity, and strengthen community ties;
• Expand support networks for Winchester’s community clubs, which can help them be sustainable over the longer term.