BUTTERFLIES DEMENTIA SUPPORT AND ACTIVITIES GROUP
Location: King street community Centre, Barnsley
Start date: December 2016
End date: December 2017
Grant: £7,500
The Project: The project is a group set up to accommodate people with Dementia together with carers. They also welcome elderly and isolated members on separate group sessions. In total they offer 3 group sessions plus they have introduced 2 further services and a new Butterflies 2 which is based in a different venue. In addition, they host many other social gatherings for those suffering from dementia and any other elderly in the community. Many other new events are offered on a regular basis.
Key Aims: The project was able to continue to offer their services for at least 24 months. They have continued to offer their services at King St and they have increased in numbers. They have introduced 2 new services in the form of a befriending service and a DIY service for elderly people and also offer services to out of reach communities. In addition, NHS Memory Services are referring into our group on a regular basis and we are being invited to speak at their regular groups. Finally, they can sustain themselves for 2 years at present and have been in a position to use project workers using funding.
Efficiency: This project focuses on cost effectiveness being easily sustainable for as long as possible. They also use professional speakers from services within the community who are more than willing to offer their advice free of charge and this provides valuable support and guidance to carers. They now offer a befriending service to people with dementia on a free of charge basis for a limited number of hours, this costing is covered by the monies made from raffle draws and events.
Employment and skills: They now use 4 project workers at Butterflies on a 2-3-hour session basis often twice a week. All project workers at Butterflies are learning new skills: Accounting and monitoring skills have been used together with research and organisational skills.
Social and Economic Regeneration: The social aspects of Butterflies are the main aim and mission. They work on the basis that people with Dementia can live a normal life after diagnosis and we offer this by integration amongst all types of elderly people including isolated, lonely elderly of the community. By working together more referrals are being made to Butterflies creating work for all local community businesses in many forms.
Environment and Sustainability: as this project is being nominated for multiple awards they will be able to create opportunities to help us grow further and become a more reputable group for higher amounts of funding from NHS and BMBC. They are helping the environment by entertaining and providing events for the elderly of South Yorkshire over 5 times per week.
Quotes: I feel Butterflies have given me the confidence to carry out many normal day to day tasks I have struggled with in the past. - Ms Hardcastle, Volunteer
I attend all activities possible which are run by Butterflies and have made lots of friends who I can pass on my experience and spend time chatting to. - Mr Jim Mason, member of all activities