£90,000 prize pot for dementia 'Bright Ideas' competition

A competition to find the best ‘Bright Ideas’ to create a better life for people affected by dementia in Scotland has been launched by the Life Changes Trust, an independent charity set up with a Big Lottery Fund endowment of £50m.

The challenge is to come up with a new and innovative approach or idea for something that would improve the lives of people who have dementia and/or those who care for them.

The competition is open to anyone - people living with dementia or their carers, students, academics, health professionals, designers, engineers, gardeners – anyone with a bright idea that can be turned into a working reality for people affected by dementia.

The idea could be related to mobility, to inclusion, to learning or to healthy living. It could be based around safety and security, housing or even just having fun.

Six applications will be shortlisted by a panel of people with dementia and carers who will score the applications on the extent to which they are practical, have potential to transform the lives of people with dementia and/or carers, and have the potential to be sustainable in the long term.

The closing date for applications is 22 May 2015 and there will be three prizes of grants that will be awarded at an event in November 2015. The first prize is £50,000, the second prize is £25,000 and the third, £15,000.

Chief executive of the Life Changes Trust, Maddy Halliday, said, “The Trust believes that, as a society, we need to find and invest in new and innovative ways of helping people living with dementia and their carers so they feel valued, included and supported.

“The Trust is already funding a wide range of activities to support people affected by dementia and today we are delighted to announce our first, annual Bright Ideas competition. We hope to receive many exciting and innovative ideas and look forward to funding those that have the potential to provide the biggest benefit to people affected by dementia in Scotland.”

For more information on how to develop or submit a ‘Bright Idea’, go to the Life Changes Trust website at http://www.lifechangestrust.org.uk/