23rd May 2022

A dementia centre and day club for Salisbury is a step closer thanks to the generosity of the local community. 

Wiltshire charity Alzheimer’s Support is fundraising to open a new centre in Scots Lane. It has now raised more than £42,000, nearly a third of the amount needed to transform and equip the building.

Community fundraiser Rachel Fear said: “We have had wonderful support from the Salisbury businesses and individuals who have held events for us or made donations and it’s wonderful to see the total growing. We are also so grateful to a charitable trust which also supported us very generously.

“There are more than 1,600 people living with dementia in Salisbury but no specialist day care. The only day club here in Salisbury closed more than two years ago leaving this vulnerable group and their families without essential support and much needed respite.”

The new centre will contain a purposed designed day club where people can find friendship, stimulation and a great day out. It will also a one-stop dementia hub where families can get advice, practical support and understanding. Two experienced dementia advisers will be on hand and the teams that run the charity’s Home Support and network of dementia activity groups will also be based there.

Rachel continued: “This will be a lifeline for families affected by this cruel disease and make such a difference to quality of life, allowing people to stay living at home for longer. We need more people to support us and make a difference. There are so many ways to help us, from making a donation to taking part in one of our fundraising events and all the money can be ringfenced to the new centre.”

Salisbury and South West Wilts area boards have both awarded grants towards the costs of renovating the building and £20,000 was donated by a local grant-making foundation who were impressed with the project but preferred to remain anonymous.

Chair of Salisbury Area Board Cllr Brian Dalton said: “This will be a great asset to the city and make an enormous difference to people affected with dementia in Salisbury. We were very pleased to be able to support it.”

Alzheimer’s Support, a Wiltshire-only charity, already runs award-winning day clubs in Warminster, Devizes and Trowbridge. In 2019 its Warminster club won a national award for its dementia design.

The Salisbury dementia centre appeal

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