For the ‘Memory box’ project, volunteer fans of Bayer 04, trained in the area of dementia, regularly visits care homes and aged persons homes to meet with the people affected. The aim of the campaign is bring back special memories to give the person affected some quality of life.
The volunteers always take the so-called ‘memory box’ with them, which is filled with countless items from the history of the Werkself including boots, shirts, pictures and music. There are currently nine volunteers from the Black and Reds Silberlöwen club working on the project.
As a concrete example, the memory items are taken once a month to care homes. The different objects are inspected by a group of three to six people in turn. That usually creates free and dynamic conversation within the group. The participants suffering from dementia experience a good feeling through the memories and it gives them some autonomy again.
Future plans include adding a tablet to the memory box to be able to improve access to the memories of historic football pictures and football songs.
The #morethanfootball Action Weeks started on Monday 21 March and run to today 14 April. The aim is to highlight how football clubs can live up to their social commitment through a range of activities. The global project initiated by the European Football for Development Network offers participating clubs and organisations the opportunity through a range of theme days to inform their supporters and fans of their own activities in the area of community and social responsibility both on and off the pitch and thereby increase awareness of the role of football within society.
The Werkself took part in the campaign last year. Bayer 04 have again presented a range of activities on the different theme days over the past three weeks. In addition to today’s Mental Health day, that includes the issues of accessibility, social inclusion, awareness, sustainability and climate protection, peace and development, health and gender equality.
The Werkself and the Bayer 04 Women’s team have also draw attention to the Action Weeks in their recent home games. In addition, the campaign is being supported this year by the Werkself player Robert Andrich and Juliane Wirtz of the Bayer 04 Women's team in their roles as ambassadors.
Robert Andrich: "Football is more than just 90 minutes. I've been impressed by the many projects already running here at Bayer 04 on a wide range of themes – whether that's diversity, sustainability or inclusion. For me that's an essential element these days. As a football club you have the chance to use your charisma for important community and social issues. It's about responsibility and active tolerance – on and off the pitch. That's what we stand for."
Juliane Wirtz: "We all began playing football for the same reasons – for fun and love of the game and we are all the same in that respect. Therefore I think it's important that I as an individual and also the club not only stand up for diversity in football during the weeks of action but also for 365 days a year. I'm happy that campaigns like this provide a suitable stage for socially relevant subjects."
"
After being nominated for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025, Martin Terrier's wonderful strike for the opener against FC Köln is now also up for selection for the ARD Sportschau Goal of the Month award for December 2025. Bayer 04 fans have until 19:00 CET on 10 January to vote for the French forward.
Show more
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show more
"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
Show more
43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
Show more
With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
Show more
