Member Article

Adult day-care centre opens in Rotherham town centre following funding from UK Steel Enterprise

Vintage Years, an adult day-care centre that provides respite for the Elderly – in particular those suffering from dementia – has recently opened at the Unity Centre in Rotherham town centre with the support of UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE).

Launched by friends and former dementia support workers at the Alzheimer’s Society, Debbie Wilson and Helen Hermoso, the centre welcomes visitors three days a week to enjoy activities - such as crafts, games, light exercise and quizzes - in order to combat loneliness, support wellbeing and meet friends.

UKSE, which supports businesses in areas affected by changes in the steel industry, awarded Vintage Years £500 as part of its Kickstart Grant scheme which the duo put towards the design and printing of exterior signage as well as marketing collateral to raise awareness of the new service in the community.

Co-founder Debbie commented: “Together, Helen and I are committed to making a difference to the lives of the people we work with and launched Vintage Years to support both the individuals we serve as well as their families.

“Caring for someone with dementia can often prove difficult and so we wanted to create a warm and friendly atmosphere that families are welcome to join.

“We were delighted to receive the funding from UKSE and hope that, by investing it in marketing materials, we can open our doors to more and more!”

Looking ahead, the pair hope to be able to extend their opening times to five days a week and, if demand rises, take on a number of employees to support the running of the centre.

Alan Stanley of UKSE added: “It’s great to see that Debbie and Helen are working to provide the much-needed support that many individuals and families in the area rely on, especially since Rotherham has seen a number of its adult day-care centres close down over the last few years.

“I’d like to wish them both the best of luck with achieving their vision for the future of Vintage Years!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Clark .