Heritage and Culture Warwickshire and Warwickshire Libraries take action for Dementia Awareness Week

The Learning and Engagement team from Heritage and Culture Warwickshire (HCW) have developed 20 themed loan suitcases for Warwickshire residents to borrow using their library card.

Inside the suitcases are objects, information and games to help support people living with dementia and their carers.

With an old Warwickshire photo in each box linking the items and games together it is a great opportunity for families and loved ones to share memories and special times together. The themes include: Rural Warwickshire, Games, Holidays, Working in Warwickshire and school days. There are two boxes of each theme

Rebecca Coles, Senior Learning and Community Engagement Officer for HCW said ‘ This has been a great opportunity to work with our colleagues from the library service. We have used images for the Warwickshire County Record Office archives and linked them to handling objects and games for those living with dementia to enjoy. There are two suitcases of each theme so we hope once people have used one they will want to borrow another’.

Heritage and Culture Warwickshire received a Tesco Bags of Help grant which has helped fund part of the project and paid for a YouTube video to be created to show and explain how to best use the suitcases.  Watch it here

Library Quote

Jessica Dunnicliff, Principal Librarian: Reading and Learning for Warwickshire Library and Information Service said ‘We are delighted to be working with our partners from HCW and the suitcases will be a great addition to our existing dementia resources.’

The suitcases will be available for loan from Monday 17th May from Atherstone, Leamington, Nuneaton, Rugby and Stratford libraries with an adult library card.

For more information please email libraryenquiryteam@warwickshire.gov.uk