TIM LOUGHTON: Fascinating dementia project

We last met them in May when the referendum debate was in full swing and what a huge change in the political landscape there has been since then.

It was interesting that after the debate, at our first meeting, the well-attended audience was virtually evenly split.

This week, whilst there was still some resistance, the majority of Remainers’ had accepted the reality that we must now plan for leaving the EU, but understandably wanted more clarity and certainty.

It was then on to Worthing Hospital for a fascinating meeting with the dementia team there.

They are putting together a project with Worthing Museum to publish a book containing photographs of old Worthing and bring some of their exhibits into the hospital to help interact with some of the many patients affected by dementia.

The museum will produce a ‘dementia trail’ and all their staff will become ‘Dementia Friends’.

My parliamentary team and I underwent the same training this week and I can highly recommend it.

This is a really clever project and they just need to raise around £4,000 to make it a reality.

Is there anyone out there prepared to help with crowd funding or sponsoring the project outright?

It was then back to Shoreham for a meeting with planning officers, the developers of Ropetackle North, councillors and residents of the Old Shoreham Road to discuss the thorny issue of road safety, especially for children at the growing Swiss Gardens Primary School.

Touching a lot of wood we might just have made progress with securing a new pedestrian crossing which will benefit a lot of people, including those due to move into the new development.

The day ended with a farewell at Worthing Town Hall to Shirley Robinson-Viney who is retiring as the Worthing Youth Cabinet coordinator.

Shirley has contributed so much to promoting the voice of young people in Worthing and oversaw the creation of the youth mayor position over 13 years ago and the excellent work of our youth councillors.

It was fitting that the current Worthing youth mayor and seven of his predecessors were there to wish Shirley well and launch the book on the history of Worthing Pier which has been their Lottery-funded project over the past couple of years.

Finally, don’t forget about tomorrow’s public meeting on the A27 with Highways England at the Pavilion Theatre at 7pm. Don’t be late.

• If you would like to get in touch with me, please write to me at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, or email me at [email protected]

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