A Deeside charity which opened a new £500,000 resource centre earlier this year is already looking to expand its services.
The Forget-Me-Not Club’s permanent base in Banchory opened in March, giving dementia sufferers a place to meet while their carers have some respite time.
Bennett House was carefully designed to meet the needs of people with the condition, from the colours of the carpets to the type of taps in the toilets, and features a fully-equipped kitchen, activity and dining room and a bright, secure garden.
Heather Morrison, operations director of the charity, said the team were delighted by how well-used the centre had been since it opened.
The garden – which also has a log cabin and gazebo for quiet activities – had also proved popular among users.
But no one is resting on their laurels just yet, and Mrs Morrison said they would love to expand the service to open the centre seven days a week.
To achieve this however, she said the charity would need a more steady income.
“We had brilliant support to get the centre up and running, but it’s not being used to its full capacity because we don’t have the income stream that enables us to make commitments to staff levels,” Mrs Morrison said.
“My dream would be for the place to be open at the weekend, with volunteers from the local schools. It would make it more fun for our clients, having young people around, and in turn they would learn what dementia is all about.
“It would be a bit like an extended family.”
She urged people to consider setting up a direct debit to the charity, which would help pay for more full-time staff to provide weekend cover and take clients on short breaks.
She said: “We’re just back from Jubilee House at Stonehaven, which is rented out to groups. We took a couple of ladies down there for a holiday. One of them even took her dog, and we went to the Brechin Garden Centre, the beach and did things everyone does on holiday.
“Being able to cover the weekends is something carers supporting people with dementia would appreciate.
“If we just got the funding, we could make a difference to peoples lives – not just those with dementia, but their carers and families too.”
To find out more about supporting the charity, either financially or by volunteering, call 07702 735122 or e-mail deesidefmn@aol.com.