Organisations granted £50,000 to open dementia Meeting Centres

Five organisations have been awarded funding to develop Meeting Centres for people affected by dementia in Scotland.

Heart of Newhaven (Edinburgh), Eric Liddell Community (Edinburgh), Deepness (Isle of Lewis), Dementia Friendly Aberfeldy (Aberfeldy) and Weekday Wow Factor (Glasgow) have each received £10,000 to open a Meeting Centre in their community. Funds have been allocated through the Meeting Centres Seedcorn Fund, part of the partnership between the Scottish Government and Age Scotland’s About Dementia project.

Meeting Centres offer a social space and community-based support for people living with dementia, their families and unpaid carers. Support is designed around attendees’ individual needs and activities are selected by members themselves, based upon their interests. Research suggests that the flexible and person-centered nature of Meeting Centres can help people affected by dementia adjust to the changes that often follow diagnosis and contribute to positive outcomes in the longer-term. These new Meeting Centres will provide hyperlocal, tailored support to the people living with dementia, unpaid carers and families who attend and will offer them the opportunity to shape the support they receive.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said:

“Flexible, community-led support is important, and I am pleased that these communities will benefit from government funding.
“I have seen first-hand the person-centred, community-based support that centres provide to people living with dementia and their carers. It really does make a huge difference.”
“Congratulations to all five organisations that were successful in securing the funding.”

Graham Galloway, facilitator of the Meeting Centre Network in Scotland and CEO of Kirrie Connections Meeting Centre in Kirriemuir, commented:

“I am delighted to see this funding supporting the growth of five new Meeting Centres. The range of projects funded, covering some of our most remote and rural communities to our largest cities, really highlights the amazing local support network of dementia Meeting Centres that is now developing all over Scotland. I would like to congratulate the successful centres, and I look forward to visiting them all when they open.”

Age Scotland’s Head of Dementia, Kainde Manji, said:

“Meeting Centres are special because they are based on the needs and wishes of their members, as well as on a robust international evidence base that demonstrates just how well they work. We’re delighted to be supporting these five organisations, including the first Scottish Meeting Centres to be based in cities. We hope that before long there will be a Meeting Centre in every town in Scotland.”

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