Ground-breaking project to help those with dementia through music in Worcestershire has been handed a funding boost thanks to Central England Co-op
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 03/04/2019
People living with dementia in Worcestershire are set for a musical boost following a £2,500 grant to support a ground-breaking project.
Droitwich Spa Meeting Centre has been awarded the money for a new scheme aimed at helping people living with the illness bring back feelings, memories and abilities associated with their favourite tunes.
Recent research from NHS England last year revealed that music can be a ‘vital tool’ in triggering memories for those with dementia.
It can help reduce anxiety and depression, help maintain speech and language and enhance quality of life.
The grant will help pay for everything from MP3 players to earphones with the aim of making living with dementia easier and happier.
The centre opened in 2015 and operates three days a week as a social club that offers expert support to people and families affected by dementia.
It currently supports 20 people with the illness and their families, with this number expected to rise before the end of the year.
Mike Watts, from the centre, said: “Listening to, and enjoying music, is a universal experience. This grant of £2,500 will help us to develop bespoke playlists for members of the Droitwich Spa Meeting Centre.”
The school was one of 24 good causes across 16 counties to share a payout of £42,000. Grants of between £100 and £5,000 are handed out every three months to a wide range of applicants.
The fund guarantees that at least one per cent of the Society’s trading profit is reinvested in local communities in a bid to help projects to thrive across its trading area of 16 counties from the Midlands to the east coast.
People can apply for funding by visiting https://communities.centralengland.coop/
Central England Co-operative Store Manager Dennis Brown said: “We are delighted that these great projects and good causes have been handed a grant for the fantastic work they do in the community.
“Community Dividend Fund grants like this showcase how by being a member and shopping at your local Central England Co-op store allows us as a Society to continue to invest and fund vital projects in the area.”
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Members of Droitwich Spa Meeting Centre celebrated being handed their grant from the Central England Co-operative Community Dividend Fund.
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.
It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, travel shops, and property investment.
Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2018.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop