Made for Memories is a dementia-friendly tourism pilot.
14th February 2023
The Made for Memories pilot project was delivered between September and November 2022 and included Whitehead Railway Museum hosting two bespoke story telling sessions by storyteller and singer/song writer, Colin Urwin, with participating groups. These two sessions were delivered along with another six sessions by project partners The Heritage Hub at Carnlough Town Hall, Twilight Coffee Café in Carnlough and The Bank House Café and Lighthouse Yarns in Whitehead. Our volunteers also took part in dementia awareness and JAM (Just a Minute) training.
The project aimed to enhance inclusivity for the groups that took part – Victoria Court Sheltered Housing in Whitehead, Karingmore Residential Home in Carnlough and the Prom Friendship Group (dementia support group) in Larne. The legacy of the project is to encourage a wider range of visitors with hidden disabilities including early stage dementia to come to Whitehead Railway Museum and other attractions in the area. Made for Memories have a showcase finale event at The Londonderry Arms Hotel on 2nd March 2023 to share the learning with tourism businesses along the Causeway Coastal Route. This event is facilitated by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as project lead with Carrickfergus Enterprise.
A short video capturing our pilot project.
Made for Memories: Enabling People Living With Dementia to Access Heritage was funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.