Scottish medallist Yvonne Murray-Mooney celebrates the life-enhancing power of sporting memories
Ahead of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24, one of Scotland’s most decorated athletes has been helping to shine a spotlight on the positive impact to health and wellbeing of memorable sporting moments.
Having completed a stellar competitive career packed with unforgettable personal highlights including 13 medal wins at Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and World and European Championships, – 1993 World Athletics Indoor champion Yvonne Murray-Mooney MBE is as strong advocate for the transformative power of sport.
As part of her ongoing efforts to promote the benefits to physical and mental health, Yvonne and her husband Tom are enthusiastic supporters of Sporting Memories – an organisation which helps older people reminisce and reconnect through sport and physical activity.
The charity and social enterprise supports a wide range of over-50s – including those living with dementia, suffering from depression, or facing isolation and loneliness – by bringing them together at regular club sessions throughout Scotland. The community meetings provide a welcoming and supportive environment to socialise, take part in activities, and develop skills and confidence.
Yvonne, Patron of Sporting Memories, and Tom, who volunteers with a number of its local clubs, brought members of the organisation’s East Kilbride group to The Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) at Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre on Wednesday (28 February) to view its unique collection of artefacts that celebrates 170 years of indoor track and field Athletics.
The free to attend exhibition, which opened on one month to go to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 and runs until the end of competition on Sunday (3 March), features the museum’s indoor athletics collection of competition artefacts dating from the 1880s to 2023.
The magnificent displays contain clothing, shoes, equipment, trophies, and medals donated by more than 30 world champions and record breakers, including personal competition items from Yvonne and other Scottish champions Eilidh Doyle, Tom McKean and Allan Wells.
Commenting on the MOWA visit by the group from Sporting Memories, Yvonne said: “I’m so proud to be a patron of the Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland. It’s an amazing organisation with passionate staff and volunteers who believe in the power of stories to reignite connections and combat the effects of dementia, depression and loneliness.
“This is the third group from Sporting Memories Foundation to attend the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Glasgow 24. It has been very moving and emotional to see everyone enjoy and reminisce at the MOWA and also standing on the 2014 medal rostrum wearing medals.”
Billy Garrett, Director of Culture, Tourism and Events at Glasgow Life commented: “We are delighted so many visitors have been attending MOWA, as well as the Team Scotland Exhibition commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the exhibition celebrating the life of 1924 Olympic champion Eric Liddell.
“The inspirational, thought-provoking displays play an important role in encouraging and enabling local communities and visitors to engage fully with WICGlasgow24. They are boosting public interest and excitement about the 19th edition of this major international championships and helping people learn more about the history of the number one Olympic sport and how much athletics transforms lives.”