Borough pensioners preserve memories of a pandemic

Belong Atherton has put together a memory box collecting memories and objects associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Moment in Time box contains testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), newspaper clippings and photographs, as well as residents’ personal pictures, poems and memories of residents.

Residents put the finishing touches on their memory box on July 19, or so-called Freedom Day in England when most of the legal restrictions put in place during the pandemic were removed.

The project was completed in conjunction with the National Activity Providers Association the National Care Forum, and Beacon Consultancy.

It aims to give the Mealhouse Lane care village residents and tenants the opportunity to reminisce, a proven approach supporting people living with dementia.

One Belong Atherton resident, 85-year-old Kath Harrison, said: “It’s lovely to think of all memories over the last 18 months and the box is a great way to remind ourselves of the challenges we’ve had to face but also remember all the good things to have come out of the pandemic.”

Experience coordinator Jo Woods said: “We got involved to use the challenges of Covid as a positive experience for our customers.

"Encouraging them to reflect on the past 18 months helps them to recall other moments in their lives, as well as bring them a sense of purpose in creating a treasure trove of memories.”

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