Dementia Champion creates large tree for Milton Keynes Specialist Memory Service

And incredibly Ann Saunders, Team Manager for the service, hasn’t picked up a brush for work of this nature since her school days when she took art as a child.

However she was pleased to discover that her skills had not deserted her and within two hours one morning the tree had pride of place inside the Lodge’s main meeting room.

“It was just like riding a bike,” said Ann, “You never forget. It was a real pleasure to do this and it reminded me of how much I enjoy projects like this.”

The Memory Tree was inspired as part of Milton Keynes’ inaugural All Hands on Deck event this year to coincide with Dementia Awareness Week. The idea was for carers, loved ones, or service users to write their names on the forget-me-not flowers and pin on the tree and to share memories with each other.

Ann, who is a Dementia Champion, wanted a permanent memory within the centre for people to remember loved ones past and present, who have or are, currently living with dementia.

She said: “service users and their families have been really positive about this. They were impressed that we were remembering their loved ones. It has also added a dash of colour to this room and has made it feel more serene and peaceful.”