England’s  historic 1966 World Cup Win  is a memory treasured by much of the entire country. However, with just three members of the heroic 66' team still alive and with a heart-breaking number of the squad losing their lives to Alzheimer's, Above+Beyond has worked with Sir Geoff Hurst to preserve memories of the tournament and raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK and the Alzheimer's Society.

Sir Geoff Hurst is the last living English footballer who retains his vivid memories of the historic 1966 World Cup Final. Above+Beyond has worked to digitally preserve his recollections from the famous game against West Germany in the form of an NFT.

To create the NFT, an artwork generated by Sir Geoff's vocal memory has been created by artists Harry Yeff and Trung Bao, creators of the world-renowned VOICE GEMS system. The system uses a particle system that turns voice recordings into one-of-a-kind sculptures. For this NFT the technology listened to Sir Geoff Hurst talking about his experience of the final game and created a unique sculpture.

The one-off NFT and multiple edition NFTs, will be auctioned off via the online digital art auction site “Nifty Gateway” on the 26th of September 2022 - as the current squad ramp up preparations for the Qatar World Cup later this year.

The project will help to raise funds and awareness for two charities close to Sir Geoff's heart - Alzheimer's Research UK and the Alzheimer's Society. Having seen his teammates suffer from the terrible disease, Sir Geoff admits his memory of the World Cup could also fade which makes his involvement in the project even more poignant.

Sir Geoff added: “As time passes, and memories fade, the 1966 World Cup is still etched in my brain, and I am fortunate to be able to recall that life changing experience even at the ripe old age of 80 years. Watching from the side-lines as teammates from that World Cup winning side have been impacted by the awful disease that is Alzheimer’s, has been a humbling experience. These amazing men were more than teammates, they were heroes to me - and to the rest of the nation.”  

The unique project showcases the importance of memory and uses technology to preserve an iconic footballing moment to raise money and awareness of the effects of Alzheimer's.