Memory Lane - new project for people with memory loss

Date: Monday, February 25th 2013
Categories: All Leicestershire Harborough Activities & Events Groups & Forums

An exciting new project aimed at supporting people with memory loss and their carers is due to come to the Harborough District thanks to innovation funding from Leicestershire County Council.

The Memory Lane scheme, run by Voluntary Action South Leicestershire (VASL), in partnership with Seven Locks Housing, will provide weekly reminiscence sessions in pop-up pods designed to look like familiar rooms of yesteryear.

The reminiscence pods (RemPods) are portable ‘rooms’ that will be erected for activity sessions at three sheltered housing schemes in the Harborough District. Pod themes include a 1950s living room, an old pub and an old shop.

The 1950s living room features authentic furniture, wallpaper, a stock of period newspapers and a fully working record player, television and radio (all fitted with modern digital technology).

The pub has been created as a fun meeting place and to encourage people with memory loss to drink more fluids (non alcoholic). It features classic pub furniture, pub games including tabletop skittles, and period music.

The shop features an old-fashioned counter, working cash register and products from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Each pod will be set up in the community lounges of the following Seven Locks sheltered housing schemes:

• Huntingdon Gardens, Market Harborough
• Brookside Gardens, Fleckney
• Naseby Square, Market Harborough

The sessions will be open to anyone with memory loss and their carers – you don't need to be a resident at the Seven Locks sheltered housing venues.

A project co-ordinator from VASL will conduct weekly two-hour sessions in the reminiscence pods at each venue. Activities will include singing, arts and crafts, games, group discussions, memoir work and cooking.

Memory Lane Co-ordinator, Alex Reffell, is an experienced activities’ leader with specialist knowledge of working with people with memory loss and dementia.

To find out more about the Memory Lane project, which is due to start in March 2013, please contact Alex on 01858 433232 or email [email protected]

VASL is looking for volunteers to help run Memory Lane

VASL is keen to recruit a dedicated team of Memory Lane Volunteers to help run sessions and activities in the pop-up reminiscence rooms. You’ll be given training and support in reminiscence work, so this is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience, whilst helping to improve the lives of others.

To find out more please call 01858 433232.