Abertay were delighted to be invited to a showcase event held on 27 January at the Crescent in Whitfield organised by NHS Tayside in relation to the Community Innovation Fund.

Abertay applied for, and were awarded, funding to create a Serendipity Garden to the rear of our sheltered complex at Dura Street. The first phase of this work has already been completed and we eagerly await some good weather to start phase two. The garden has been a huge success with the residents of Brougham Gardens and Dykehead Place.

The showcase event was officially opened by NHS Tayside Chairman, Professor John Connell, who spoke of his delight at the achievements of the many fund applicants’ endeavours to enhance their communities. He explained the rationale behind the funding was to enable people to have a longer happier quality time living in their own communities, and was money very well spend as a preventative measure against hospitalisation or institutional care.

There were wonderful examples of how imagination had been used to improve communities by such organisations as Maxwelltown Centre, Hot Chocolate Trust, Tayberry Enterprise, ADHD Support – Tayside, Dundee Healthy Living Initiative (Zumba Gold), Lochee Community Group and The ‘Men’s Shed’ All ‘showcased’ their journeys and spoke very enthusiastically of how they spent the cash.

The photograph shows some attendees, including Abertay’s Housing Officer, Heather Borland and Brenda Muir, Treasurer of the Dura Street Sheltered Committee.