Haslemere Museum has recently been awarded additional funding towards their innovative project to provide outreach reminiscence sessions in care homes and day centres for people with dementia. Community Foundation for Surrey has provided grants from the Cyrus Fund, The Pargiter Trust Fund and Haslemere Challice Community Fund to support this project for another year.
The collections at the Museum have a rich array of artefacts and images that can be handled and viewed as a stimulus to memory, recollection or engagement. Using carefully selected Museum objects, themed ‘loan boxes’ have been developed by Education Officer, Kay Topping and experienced facilitators, to be taken out into the community to deliver outreach sessions. During the hour-long sessions, the objects are passed round for residents to handle and talk about, or merely engage with depending on each individual’s interest or ability. Staff and volunteers at the Museum have also received Dementia Friendly training
Kay Topping, Education Officer said ‘We are extremely grateful to all our funders for enabling this project to continue. The Museum specialises in the delivery of learning experiences and it is fantastic to see our work extended beyond the Museum walls and into care homes, enabling those with dementia to benefit from our remarkable collections by making them more accessible. ’
If you are interested in finding out more about the project, or would like to get involved visit www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk.