Alton Meeting Centre
Meeting Centre at Alton - Part of the Dementia-friendly Hampshire Network of Meeting Centres
As part of the ongoing development of support for people with dementia and their carers in an around Alton - and due to the funding and support from the National Lottery - we are very excited to be the flagship and involved in the development of the first Meeting Centre for Hampshire. Joining with a network of over 40 other Meeting Centres across the UK, Dementia-friendly Alton will work collaboratively with Altonian Care, Alton Community Association and Home Instead, to rebrand the Memory Lane Club (Wednesday Group) and extend the Friday Music and Movement session to create a full day at our new venue, the Alton Assembly Rooms, Alton High Street from April 2024. Another addition to Wednesday Group, is the Meeting Centre at Home initiative, which will provides home visits and / or zoom links to prospective and current members when they unable to or unsure of attednng the Alton Meeting Centre on a Wednesday.
The Essential Features of a Meeting Centre
On-going regular Meeting Centre Club - Having hosted regular events attended by our current members for nearly ten years already, Dementia-friendly Alton already complies with this feature, not only on a Wednesday and Friday, but also with our Art and Horticulture Therapy sessions on other days of the week. We have some members who attend our sessions as much as five days a week.
We are all in the Centre together - The ethos of the Centre will remain warm, friendly and inclusive, as it always has been.
Adjusting to Change - Throughout the delivery of all sessions there is also provision of practical, emotional and support adjustments for people living with dementia and their carers.
- We are lucky to have a number of wonderful, committed volunteers who support our sessions throughout the week. They all fit very well within the friendly and supportive atmosphere that we aim to provide. We are always looking for more volunteers - so please do contact us if you'd like to know more / join us - we would love to hear from you.
Meeting Centre Team - The Meeting Centre is managed by a well prepared team, consiting of Geoff Goodall (Meeting Centre Manager), George Longland our Physical Activities Lead and a small and consistent team of Activities staff seconded by Altonian Care and Home Instead.
Focusses on people living with dementia as well as the needs of the carer - We have many years of achieving this aspect already as our members often tell us. It will be great to be able to extend and develop this further.
Members and their carers are involved at all times in the development of the Programme of Activities, that are all evidence based and include: Music therapy, Love to Move, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, Horticultural Therapy, 1-2-1 support, Physical Activites and of course Time for Tea & Chat.
Suitable Venue - Our new venue, the Alton Assembly Rooms provides us with a variety of comfortable, 'homely' meeting and activity spaces suitable for both seated and physical activities.
Community Engagement is clearly evident in the 'fabric' of how the Alton Meeting Centre is run - as a collaborative between Dementia-friendly Alton and other community focussed organisations (see picture below). The high level of community engagement evident within Dementia-friendly Alton, was one of the reasons the group recieved the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2022.
A Community of Learning - Dementia-friendly Alton has always welcomed visitors and shared information re good pratice. In addition to this we welcome a range of health and social care students for placements / work experience. Other college students also attend for work experience, as part of raising awareness of dementia and how to provide effective support.
As part of the UK wide Meeting Centre network - Dementia-friendly Alton provides a minimal data set for evaluation by the Association for Dementia Studies. In addition to this Dementia-friendly Alton evalautes and reports on many aspects of its provision, as an ongoing part of feedback for a range of grant providers.
Register with the Alton Meeting Centre
If you would like to find out more about the Alton Meeting Centre and / or refer a new member to it - please pop in from 10-4 from Monday to Friday or contact our Meeting Centre Manager, as follows :
Call 01420 551455 or email dementia_friends@btinternet.com
After a visit and a 'cuppa and chat' - you can register to become a member and enjoy all the benefits - its FREE to join - click on link below to download registration form for more information (Hard copies available at the venue)