RESIDENTS of Ridgeway House did their bit to promote awareness of dementia by making special brooches and handing them out in Royal Wootton Bassett high street.

The initiative was in response to Dementia Awareness week and activity co-ordinator Andrea Wright said the idea of giving the brooches was inspired by the morning members of the town’s flower club handed out posies of flowers as part of the Lonely Bouquet campaign.

Residents of the home and regulars at the Lorna Doone day centre made more than 100 of them on Friday morning.

“We had a lovely day,” said Andrea. “We had the music on and we were singing away. We actually made so many brooches we didn’t have enough backs for them.”

And when Andrea and resident June Dawson went out to give them away on the high street they were all snapped up within the space of 20 minutes.

“They went so quickly. We had some nice chats with people and they were asking about dementia. Hopefully we have spread the word and have got the message across," said Andrea.

“If they come across someone in the street with dementia they should realise they are human beings and not do anything to disrespect them.”

Often it was little things that made the difference, especially when out shopping.

“Some people automatically talk to the carer and not the person,” she said.

The Orders of St John Care Trust, which runs the home, had encouraged staff to take part in the national campaign but left them to come up with ideas.

Backed by the Alzheimer’s Society, the awareness week is about encouraging people to confront their fears and find out more about the condition which it is predicted, will affect a million people in the UK by 2025.