Swindon & Wiltshire News
Developer donation for Wiltshire dementia charity
Housebuilder Persimmon has shown its support for a Trowbridge-based group that helps those battling dementia and their loved ones.
Persimmon Homes Wessex handed over the £1,000 cheque to the Mill Street Club, a service run in partnership with Wiltshire-wide service Beyond Dementia.
Both organisations came to the attention of the accredited five-star developer and its Community Champions programme after discovering they were also being supported through Trowbridge Town Council’s civic dinner this year.
The Mill Street Club is open Tuesdays to Fridays for a full day of companionship, stimulation and activity for people living with dementia in west Wiltshire. Its experienced support workers and committed volunteers – as well as friendly canine visitors – help up to 11 people each day.
The club is held in a thoughtfully laid out area with members’ art on the walls, a snooker/table tennis table, and an indoor garden area (complete with water feature) which provides a quiet space and allows members to experience more natural surroundings.
Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme sees £700,000 donated each year to good causes and much-valued organisations across Britain. Recent local recipients include Trowbridge RFC, Trowbridge Town Council, and Doorway Homeless Charity.
The housebuilder has a significant local presence in Wiltshire, with active sites in Chippenham, Warminster, and nearby Hilperton.
Persimmon recently secured planning detailed consent for the first phase of the major site coming to Ashton Park to the south of Trowbridge, where it will deliver 2,500 homes alongside Barratt Redrow once complete.
Persimmon Homes Wessex’s sales director, Pauline Fletcher, said: “With a major, long-running site due to start imminently in Trowbridge, it made sense for us at Persimmon to show our support for a local group that provides a really valuable service for families in the area.
“So, when we heard of the Mill Street Club through the Town Council, we were determined to make sure we could give them a donation via our Community Champions fund. They do excellent work and hope this money can help them maintain their offer in western Wiltshire.”
Mill Street Club’s manager, Sharon Cooper, added: “We are over the moon to have been selected by Persimmon Homes for their Community Champions fund. Funding such as this has a real impact and will go a long way in helping us continue to provide vital support for members of our Mill Street Day Club.
“It has also provided a valuable opportunity to raise more awareness of our services and highlight the ongoing fundraising we rely on each year to continue supporting people living with dementia in Trowbridge and the wider community.”
