New dementia friendly pilot project is just ‘Made for Memories’

A dementia friendly tourism pilot project involving a number of heritage attractions and tourism business in Mid & East Antrim aims to raise awareness of the life-changing condition.
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The ‘Made for Memories’ project, which has been awarded £14,140 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is being led by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council with two industrial heritage sites - Whitehead Railway Museum and The Heritage Hub at Carnlough Town Hall. Two other tourism businesses are also involved as partners - Twilight Coffee and Bunkhouse in Carnlough, and Lighthouse Yarns Craft Studio in Whitehead.

Four groups will be participating, including Prom Friendship Group, Larne; Karingmore Residential Home, Carnlough; Wilson House Day Care, Broughshane; and Victoria Court (sheltered accommodation) Whitehead.

The project aims to raise awareness through training of volunteers and bespoke storytelling sessions by local storytellers of simple adaptions that can be made to create a safe, welcoming and managed space at visitor attractions in Mid and East Antrim for visitors living with early stages of dementia and their carers.

Project participants on the railway platform at Whitehead Railway Museum - one of the project sites - with Mr Mukesh Sharma, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee of the National Lottery Fund.Project participants on the railway platform at Whitehead Railway Museum - one of the project sites - with Mr Mukesh Sharma, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee of the National Lottery Fund.
Project participants on the railway platform at Whitehead Railway Museum - one of the project sites - with Mr Mukesh Sharma, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Committee of the National Lottery Fund.

A downloadable online pre-visit guide for visitors to both The Heritage Hub at Carnlough Town Hall and Whitehead Railway Museum, specifically designed for use by families and carers of people living with early stage dementia, will be created as part of the project.

At the official launch , Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Ald. Noel Williams said: “The ‘Made of Memories’ project is very much aligned to Council’s long-term commitment to the Mid and East Antrim Borough being an accessible and attractive tourist destination for as wide a range of visitors as possible. We want to encourage our partners and other local tourism businesses through this pilot to make simple adaptions, and to raise their general awareness of how they can meet the needs of people living with the early stages of dementia and their carers. This project is of course very relevant to the quality of life of our local residents as well.”

Also attending the launch, Mukesh Sharma, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland Committee.

A showcasing event developed with Carrickfergus Enterprise, and endorsed by the chairs of the two Causeway Coastal Route Cluster Groups within Mid and East Antrim, is planned to take place in March 2023 to share the pilot and its outcomes with other tourism businesses.

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