Derek Tobin of the newly formed Arklow Town Team has welcomed the news that the Dementia-Friendly Garden which is on display at the Bloom Festival is to be donated to Arklow.
“What an amazing bit of good news.
Can’t wait to see this superb garden coming to Arklow. This is another good news story for the town!
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that the Dementia friendly garden, which is exhibiting at Bloom this weekend, will be relocated to Arklow !!
This is following a successful application by Arklow Town Team, after a countrywide process against stiff competition.
We hope you will agree that this will be a superb addition to our town.”
“For Dr Suzanne Timmons, Clinical Lead at the HSE’s National Dementia Office, the garden reflects the core aims of the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, which are about reaching out to people with dementia and their loved ones and including them in our lives:
“This ‘Moments in Time’ dementia-friendly garden is an opportunity for the thousands of people who visit Bord Bia’s Bloom to understand the importance of maintaining our social connections, of keeping mentally stimulated and of keeping occupied and active. It gets us up close and personal with the outdoors, and the smells, sounds, and colours of nature.
Hopefully, it will inspire people to take some of the ideas from our show garden home with them and to think about the other practical things they can do to create understanding and inclusive communities where people with dementia are supported and connected. We are delighted that the garden will be moved after Bloom to the Arklow Duck Pond, Nature Walk & Leisure Area in County Wicklow, so it will live on and continue to bring benefits to people with dementia and the wider community.”
If you are visiting Bloom this week-end take a look at the garden before it comes to Arklow.
