Social enterprise and charity organisation, Halo Leisure is pleased to announce that it has been awarded £58,858 by The National Lottery Community Fund (formerly known as The Big Lottery Fund) in Wales.

Halo Leisure will use the grant to offer physical activity sessions including swimming and social sessions for people living with dementia and their carers in the Bridgend area, over the next three years. Halo Leisure are delighted with the support they are getting from Bridgend County Borough Council and BAVO as well as Partners including Alzheimer’s Society, Awen and the Local Health Board

Halo Leisure Active Community Coordinator, Ryan Statton said:

“We are delighted to receive this award from The National Lottery Community Fund. We have been running dementia-friendly, swimming sessions in our pool in Bridgend Life Centre since January 2018. This funding will let us support even more local people with dementia and their carers to get physically active and not just in the pool or sports hall. We can also offer a range of other activities after each swim session, from scrapbooking and memorabilia collecting, to meeting therapy dogs, listening to visiting singers and decorating cupcakes.

“Starting with Maesteg Sports Centre in May, we will be able to offer more activities at more centres, we will train even more staff and volunteers to understand dementia and the role they can have in making the visit to the Halo centre comfortable and welcoming.

“We have found that the carers benefit as much as the person with dementia. The cup of tea and natter in the cafe after the session is just as important as what happens in the pool or the sports-hall. The project aims to let people living with complex needs including dementia and carers get support through community-based physical activities and social engagement opportunities.  It provides opportunities to take part in one hour of activity followed by one hour of social interactions.

“The goal is to encourage participants to lead a more active lifestyle, maintain independence and reduce the social isolation which often comes with caring for someone with dementia.

The funding enables three community facilities to be more accessible and ‘dementia friendly’ as well as for staff and volunteers to be trained to understand dementia.”