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."
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Whether it's sport or his private live: Captain Edmond Tapsoba tells us his top three personal favourites in twelve categories in edition #56 of the Werkself Magazine. The defender had to answer as quickly as he reacts on the pitch. 'On the Podium' with Edmond Tapsoba!
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“Year after year, this is an incredibly valuable gathering, both in terms of the content covered and the opportunity for mutual discussion,” stressed Bayer 04 goalkeeping coach David Thiel in his welcoming address at this year’s goalkeeping coaches’ meeting. This was the third time in four seasons that the event had been held at the BayArena. Organised by the German Football Association (DFB), the meeting brought together goalkeeping coaches from the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the 3rd division from the west region. For the first time this year, goalkeeping coaches from the youth performance centres (NLZ) were also present. Bayer 04 fitness coach Markus Müller provided fascinating insights into the specific fitness training carried out with the Werkself’s goalkeepers.
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A floodlit derby, two further night games and a top-of-the-table clash on a Saturday afternoon: The German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed the exact dates for four further matchdays in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. This means all fixtures for the Bayer 04 women’s team up to the end of the year, as well as the first two in 2027, are now confirmed.
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It was another incredibly close call in the end: The second showdown in the 2026/27 VBL Club Championship saw the #B04eSports team once again narrowly miss out on a place in the top 16 of the preliminary round – and with it, a spot in the in-person knockout stage. It was a bitter blow: Marc and Sean Landwehr again fell just short, despite being level on points with their rivals. As was the case last month, their weaker record across the twelve individual matches in the six preliminary round fixtures proved decisive.
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Several Werkself players are set to represent their national teams during the final international break of 2026. Here’s an overview of who has been called up and the matches they will face in November. This article will be updated regularly.
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