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This project is funded by the Dementia Services Development Trust
and brings together four partner organisations.

The Dementia Series Development Trust is a charity with a vision to improve the lives of those living with dementia through the funding of activities which support this aim. The Principles which guide the work of the DSDT are:

Proactive  
Pump priming  
Partnership

The Disruption Award funds projects which strive to disrupt some of the old ways that people think about dementia, and communicate new ideas that reframe it.

My name is Belinda and I work with a number of different organisations to enhance culture, connections relationships and well being both here in the Uk and in Australia and Germany. My work involves supporting people to spot beautiful things that happen to help connections and relationships and thinking about how we can do these things more of the time. It takes my breath away to see how very small acts of noticing those things that touch us can result in light bulb moments and help us to move in different directions.

I am excited to be part of this work as I have already experienced strong and meaningful collaborations with Edel, Gayle and the Elderflowers that have helped me to learn more about beautiful connections and look forward to what new things this collaboration can bring.

I treasure learning new aspects about things I care about and sharing this learning with others.

Hi, Edel is my name. I am currently working in a freelance capacity across a range of projects in the health and social care arena, where a key focus of the work is to create resources that can generate possibilities for diverse, insightful conversations.

There is so much about this project that connects to what i care about. I have seen firsthand the exceptionally beautiful connections that Elderflowers make with people living with dementia, and i’m keen to see how we can use their expertise to open up possibilities for others. I treasure the feeling of peace inside me when i’m connecting with someone and all is well between us.

Email: eroddy @ hotmail.com

Hi, I’m Gayle and I work as an experience researcher and designer for Designed by Society. My research background is qualitative and creative and focuses on people’s current and desired experiences. My design practice involves designing to enable improvements in people’s experiences of social interactions. My work seeks to support people to develop stances, make choices, and be with themselves and others in ways that are beneficial to them and the communities they connect with and serve.

I’m interested in exploring the opportunities to share ways of making connections – perhaps I and others had not thought of before – and with a Nana recently diagnosed with dementia I am keen to support the development of ways we can keep connected with those we love.

Hi, i’m Suzie. I am the Artistic Director of Hearts & Minds and a practicing therapeutic clown artist. Hearts & Minds delivers therapeutic clown programmes to paediatric healthcare units, special educational need schools and dementia units across Scotland, making joyful human connections where they are needed most.

I am always excited to tease out the specifics of what makes our work as therapeutic clowns meaningful & impactful, and in this project, I am especially excited to see how this can be translated in new ways for a broader audience.

I always treasure finding moments of humour with others – something that I have experienced as possible in even the deepest of crisis.