A WOODLAND centre is helping to aid the lives of those with dementia.

Belfairs Woodland Centre, in Leigh, is run by the Essex Wildlife Trust and held its first guided walk for people living with dementia and their carers in October.

Having provided dementia friend training to its volunteers, the event was hailed as a huge success and already there are two walks planned for this year.

Alison Askwith, assistant centre manager, said: “We had a full house of 15 people who walked for around 45 minutes and then came back into the woodland centre for a hot mug of tea and piece of cake.

“We had very good feedback from people who had enjoyed walking but had not felt confident enough to walk by themselves any longer and had really missed it.”

Research has shown regular physical exercise - including brisk walking - could help to stop dementia developing and walking helps people with mild to moderate dementia both to keep physically well and also enhances their feeling of wellbeing.

Southend’s Dementia Strategy has estimated there are more than 22,000 people living with dementia in the Essex, Southend and Thurrock area and by 2025, the figure will have risen to 35,000.

The area has a higher than average population of older people and the Alzheimer’s Society calculates one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80 have some form of dementia.

About Approximately two thirds of people living with dementia live in their own homes, but they are likely to be dependent to some degree on their families and informal carers.

The Alzheimer’s Society recommends 30 minutes of activity per day at least five times a week to keep the person living with dementia fit and independent and also to help mood and sense of wellbeing.

Essex Wildlife Trust wants to provide access to the Essex countryside to as many different groups of people as possible.

Assistant manager Mrs Askwith added: “There are people in Essex who, for one reason or another, are denied the benefits of walking in our beautiful countryside. One of these groups is people living with dementia.

“We will be running two more walks in 2019 thanks to the funding from Southend Council. The first guided walk is on Monday, January 21, starting at Belfairs Woodland Centre at 11am.

“When the walk is finished, the walkers will come back to the centre and enjoy a free bowl of soup with crusty bread or a sausage/bacon sandwich.”

A second walk takes place on Monday, April 15, at the same location and time. There will be a free piece of cake or a scone with cream and jam and tea/coffee for the walkers and their family/carers.

The walks need to be pre-booked through Southend Council’s Dementia Community Support Team on 01702 534772.

Mrs Askwith added: “We hope these walks will become a regular feature of the Belfairs Woodland Centre calendar.

“We think that they are a great addition to what is available currently for people living with dementia.”