Speaker Breda Seaman

Rotary Club of Stirling meeting of 21st March 2019.

President Sandy Farquharson welcomed one visitor, our speaker Breda
Seaman.  The club agreed to donate two Rescue Boxes to the East African
Cyclone disaster appeal. Rotary has active clubs in the area, and direct
contact through one of our local clubs.

Our speaker Breda Seaman worked in the NHS as a Nurse /Midwife for 39
years, and on retiral became interested in support services for
dementia. She soon realised that there were no such community services
in Dunblane or Bridge of Allan.  Despite being common, Dementia is often
not discussed or acknowledged leaving families to cope on their own.
After the Motherwell report community dementia support services were set
up by the NHS, but it was soon clear that local volunteers would be
required if the service was to continue. With this in mind Breda
appealed for volunteers in Dunblane and 23 locals came forward, allowing
her to set up Dementia Friendly Dunblane, and the Braefoot memory cafe,
with the support of the Dunblane development centre. The cafe provides a
safe social group, a base through which other groups can contribute,
including schools, Active Stirling, GPs, pharmacists, the University of
the Third age and Dunblane golf club. Transport to the cafe is organised
by the volunteers. It has become part of the community.  In finishing
Breda asked us to look around our own contacts to see if any need, or
could contribute help with this increasing group of people.

Next week 29th March, Speaker's host John Rankin, Visitor's host Sandy
Leven.

Ian Richardson