West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has praised community efforts to open up a new meeting centre for people with dementia in Malvern.

Rev Phillip Johnson has secured funding to improve the meeting area at St Mathias Church, in Malvern Link, and volunteers are starting to welcome visitors who need support as they deal with dementia and related conditions.

The meeting centre, which is backed by Worcestershire County Council, Worcester University and Malvern Hills District Council, was formally opened by Harriett at a ceremony at the new centre attended by local volunteers.

Harriett said:

“Malvern is blessed with having many people who live much longer lives than a generation ago, but that also comes with the extra challenges of many more people who live with dementia.

“I’ve been really impressed with the way Phillip has grasped this challenge and got a dementia meeting centre up and running at double quick time and was happy to offer my support, both with fund-raising and helping get support from key stakeholders.

“I was delighted to be able to formally open this centre and hope that there will be many more of these across West Worcestershire in the coming months and years.”

Rev Phillip Johnson added:

“The support of our local community, councillors and MP have been invaluable. There have been significant challenges in getting this centre up and running but knowing that we were being backed so strongly ensured we had more than enough motivation to succeed. My thanks go to everyone involved including our partners Age UK and the University of Worcester.”

Photo: (l-r) Worcester University Professor Dawn Brooker, Harriett Baldwin MP, centre manager Kirsty Hughes and Rev Phillip Johnson.