March 19 2018

Warminster’s Dementia Centre is on track to open early in May  with an official launch on May 14^th. 

The opening follows months of building work by Alzheimer’s Support, which is renovating the Victorian building in Beech Avenue to create the innovative centre for the town and surrounding villages.

The Dementia Centre will house a welcoming day club for up to 12 members each day, as well as office space for the charity's Dementia Advisers, activity groups and a community venue.

The kitchen is now installed and builders are putting the finishing touches to internal walls and cupboards, while teams of volunteers are painting and decorating the interior.

Still to be installed is a striking new bridge to the first floor entrance, a bespoke design by architect Jack Konyenburg, who has donated his time to the project.

Chief executive Babs Harris said: “This is turning into the work of 1,000 hands. We have had so much support from local businesses and people living in Warminster and everyone has told us how valued this will be. We appealed for volunteers to help us paint the interior and team came along from Blackmore Ricotech, Nationwide and Hitachi. One Warminster man turned up on the day with his paintbrush and just got stuck in, and we have had donations of paint, furniture and food for our volunteer teams.

“There is still a great deal to do but we are on track to open in May.”

Babs also thanked everyone who had supported the fundraising appeal which now stands at more than £73,000.

She said: “We were awarded a major grant of £50,000 from the Wolfson Foundation and the rest has been much smaller sums. People have done sponsored challenges, held raffles and quiz nights and given generously in store collections. We are so grateful to everyone who has helped and now just need that final push to meet our £90,000 target.”

June Windess of Horningsham will be one of the first to benefit from the new club. Her husband Ken said: “June really enjoyed visiting Alzheimer’s Support’s Trowbridge club. She made friends instantly and we are looking forward to having the same resource just down the road.

“June often finds herself stuck in the house with me so she’s really looking forward to experiencing different company when the day centre opens. She enjoys herself the most when meeting new people and I know The Old Silk Works will be a great place for that.”

The charity is still fundraising to help pay for building costs and has published a wishlist of items to equip the new day club.  More appeal news

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