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Banbury charity Dementia Active flourishing with “connected communities” grant funding
15/08/2023
The cash helped maintain regular sessions whilst a new building was taking shape
A Banbury charity has been able to grow from offering small support groups in community halls, to running their own dedicated centre, thanks in part to a grant from Oxfordshire County Council.
Dementia Active specialises in running activities which support people with dementia.
They successfully applied to the Council’s “connected communities” fund and received a grant of £4,939. The cash helped them to keep running their regular sessions for older people with dementia, whilst their new building at Manor Park off the Wildmere Road industrial estate was taking shape.
Andy Gill, CEO of Dementia Active, said: “We create a sense of community where people can feel comfortable in themselves and don’t need to worry about what other people think of them. They’re in a safe, comfortable environment. The aim is to stimulate cognitive responses in a range of enjoyable activities as this can help slow down the progress of the disease.
“The additional funding and support we received through the connected communities fund allowed us to keep running our much needed services at a crucial and pivotal point in our ongoing development.
“Our new building is now up and running and in September we are opening a drop in Music for Wellbeing service for people diagnosed with dementia and their carers as well as new groups for people with advanced dementia and young onset dementia.
“The encouragement and advice offered by Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action and Community First Oxfordshire has been invaluable throughout.”
Dementia Active is one of more than 70 groups and organisations that have been supported by the connected communities fund since it launched last autumn, between them receiving a share of £175,000.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam