New contract to run Peterborough’s Dementia Resource Centre

The Alzheimer’s Society has agreed a lease to continue running the centre following a tendering process from the city council.

The Dementia Resource Centre opened in Millfield in 2014 with staff delivering a specialist service supporting people living with dementia and their carers and families.

It aims to enable people living with dementia and their carers to have a good quality of life and live as independently as possible in the community.

This includes the person diagnosed with dementia being able to function more effectively – emotionally, mentally and physically - and their carers and families having access to the information, advice and support they need to continue caring for as long as possible.

The current contract which expires in April is £293,000 a year, but under the new terms the price will be £558,000 over two years (£279,000 per annum).

There is also the option for two, one year extensions to the contract at the current rate.

Siobhan Merrygold, Alzheimer’s Society’s dementia connect local service manager in Peterborough, said: “Since opening in 2015 Alzheimer’s Society’s staff and volunteers at the Dementia Resource Centre have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of thousands of people affected by dementia in Peterborough.

“We are delighted to be awarded this new contract which will enable us to introduce our personalised support service, Dementia Connect, so that people affected by dementia get the support they need, when they need it, by phone, online and face-to-face.

“Since lockdown began in March, Alzheimer’s Society’s vital support services have been used more than 2.7 million times across the UK and are proving to be a lifeline for many. In Peterborough, staff and volunteers adapted from face-to-face to providing virtual support – welfare calls and online groups – each week.

“We look forward to when we can re-open the Dementia Resource Centre safely, but until then we will maintain our virtual services. For further information, advice and support, visit alzheimers.org.uk.”