Strathmore Cricket Club is a community run sports club, which offers cricket opportunities to people of all ages. In the last year it has extended its programmes to include provision for girls, women and people with disabilities. It also works with partners to deliver a walking sports programme catering for those who are no longer able to take part in more competitive programmes or are just looking for an enjoyable and sociable way to stay active and keep fit.
In addition to its core cricket activities, the club works with a number of other organisations to deliver community projects from its ground at Lochside Park in Forfar. These include a community café and we are in the process of working with the community to establish a Meeting Centre for people living with dementia and their family carers.
The Meeting Centre is intended to fill a gap in the range of services available to people living with dementia and their family carers.
Meeting Centres are places where people living with mild to moderate dementia can meet and take part in a range of activities. They can also access information and meet people who can help them to adjust to and live with their condition. Meeting Centres began in the Netherlands and have proved to be very effective in helping people living with dementia to enjoy a better quality of life.
When fully operational, the Meeting Centre will be open three days each week and provide a social meeting space for 10 – 15 members each day. The centre will be operated by a small staff team comprising a Manager, an Activity Coordinator and a Support Worker – supported by volunteers and with input from a range of partner organisations which will contribute specific services and opportunities.
The Meeting Centre is initially funded by the Scottish Government Community Recovery Fund and the Life Changes Trust. It is part of a wider development in Angus which will see three new Meeting Centres open in 2022. These Centres all work together to develop and improve the services that they offer.
In addition to getting the Meeting Centre open, we are also working to establish an appropriate structure for managing and developing it.