What was formerly a decommissioned council building in the heart of Huyton will become a dedicated centre supporting those experiencing dementia thanks to Kindred member, Me2U.
Founded by Rosie Whittington, Me2U has been providing a pioneering approach to community-based care in Kirkby since 2018. With every facility and activity specifically designed with individual needs in mind, it quickly become obvious that a second centre was much needed.
A mental health nurse with over ten years of experience working with older people, Rosie had previously been a teenage carer for her grandmother. “At Me2U we provide a safe and stimulating environment for those living with dementia, as well as offering respite and peace of mind for their carers and loved ones,” says Rosie.
“With over half of UK adults knowing someone who has been diagnosed with dementia, and the cost of caring for them expected to almost double by 2050, we want to be able to reach more people who need services like ours.”
While Rosie remortgaged her own home to set up her first centre, this time the Me2U team worked with Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council to secure an asset transfer, and organised a crowdfunding campaign as well as a series of fundraising events, to raise the £30,000 needed to fund the required renovations.
Backed by Kindred, the new site will provide a range of services, including an onsite hairdresser or barber, a community wash house, private consultation rooms for health visitors and a wet room. They will also offer a wide range of activities including gardening and flower arranging, art and crafts, board games and singalongs.
Carers will also be able to take advantage of holistic therapy sessions and support groups as well as expert advice on dementia care and diagnoses.
“Kindred invests in people who have lived stories and go on to use their lived experience to change their world. When I first heard Me2U’s founder Rosie tell her story I had no doubt this was an investment Kindred would want to make,” says Erika Rushton, Programme Director at Kindred.
Adding, “Rosie is just one of a powerful network of women in Knowsley who are redesigning our care system from the bottom up. And their design principles? Their care is designed for the people we love.”
“We’re so happy to be able to expand our provision into another part of Knowsley,” says Rosie. “By getting the foundations right and establishing a person-centred culture, we can deliver even more essential care services that benefit the communities we support.”
Find out more about the Me2u Centre here.