Good Times at New Milton Dementia Allotment
New Milton Dementia Allotment celebrated a successful summer season of welcoming visitors to its calm and tranquil garden oasis. From April to September this year, the allotment provided a beautiful retreat for the dementia community and wider community to enjoy.
New Milton Town Councillor Bob Murrow said “I am delighted that our visitors have spent time with us socialising and sharing stories. It’s been a great summer for being outdoors and enjoying the fresh air.”
There were two musical events this summer, both dates were popular, entertaining guests who were happy and smiling, sampling the delights of ice-creams on offer as a special treat.
Fiona Pritchard, Music & Arts Partner for Colten Care led a lively sing-along session, and the Coda Memory Band, led by Stuart Jebbitt, performed a variety of pop and rock hits encouraging the audience to participate.
New Milton Residents Association and Cllr Neil Tungate, offered generous donations, making it possible to host the music and ice-cream events that brought joy and laughter to all who participated.
Dementia Allotment Co-ordinator, Joanna Hayward, hailed the dedicated team of volunteers, who this year were supported by corporate volunteers from local companies GD Print and Innovus UK. “Each one of our volunteers has made a tremendous contribution in keeping the allotment well maintained and well-watered this summer.” She added “I’m very grateful for their hard-working team spirit”.
Other community contributions to the allotment have included bright and colourful painted pebbles, artistically crafted by the young people at Ashley Youth Hub.
And New Milton’s Men’s Shed have created wooden plant stakes with names of some of the plants at the allotment.
As the season closes, the New Milton Dementia Allotment invites the community to share their feedback by completing a short survey about their experiences at the allotment. By providing valuable input, visitors can help improve future activities to better serve the dementia community.
For more information about the New Milton Dementia Allotment, please visit Dementia-Friendly Allotment – New MIlton on the New Milton Town Council website or contact 01425 619120.