AFTER more than six months of fundraising, a cutting-edge exhibition giving fresh insight into dementia is coming to Abergele.

Since launching in February, Dementia Friendly Abergele have reached their target to bring the UK’s only mobile Virtual Dementia Tour Bus to Tesco, on Market Street, for three days from Wednesday, October 10.

Lucie Williams, community relations manager at Home Instead Senior Care – a multinational network of franchises specialising in non-medical in-home care for the elderly – said: “We are delighted that with the help and support of our community and surrounding areas we have managed to raise all the funds we need to bring the Virtual Dementia Tour Bus to Abergele.

“This means we are able to offer 108 fully funded places to people directly affected by dementia.”

Places for 108 people have costed the charity £3,420, with Abergele Town council donating £1,000 towards the campaign.

The remaining £2,420 was raised by the end of August through collections, a charity raffle at the Harp Inn and donations from Rhuddlan Town Council, with a further £400 donated by an Abergele woman whose husband died this year after living with dementia - paying for 14 places.

One of only three such busses in the world, virtual reality technology turns the inside of the bus into a house and asks participants to attempt simple tasks such as making a cup of tea to attempt to recreate the experience of dementia.

People entering the bus will further gain a insight into the everyday difficulties of the condition by having their hearing and vision impeded and wearing special footwear and gloves.

Ms Williams, added: “The main goal of bringing the bus to Abergele was to give people outside of social care – the loved ones and friends – access to the training to best look after and appreciate what someone with dementia is going through.

“I was hell bent on the bus having the biggest impact on the community as possible. When a person gets a diagnosis of Dementia, those around them get the diagnosis too. They go through all the worry, upset and fear as well.

“I didn’t think one day alone was enough, so I aimed high and now it is finally coming for the full three days.”

In addition to three days this month, the charity received news today that Tesco Abergele has matched the funding to bring the bus back for another three days in 2019.

Ms Williams said: “I was over the moon when I found out and started crying. I get very emotional about these things but it just drives us all on

“If you have a loved one who is living with Dementia, or know someone caring for someone living with Dementia, who would benefit from having better knowledge, and more understanding of what it is like to have Dementia, get in touch.”

For more information, visit abergele-dementiafriendly.co.uk.