£90K 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 today.

The competition is being run by the Life Changes Trust, an independent charity set up with a Big Lottery Fund endowment of GBP50 million to improve the lives of two key groups in Scotland: people affected by dementia and care experienced young people.

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
  • Have potential to be sustainable in the long term

There will be three funding prizes, awarded at an event in November 2015:

  • 1st prize – £50,000   
  • 2nd prize – £25,000  
  • 3rd prize – £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 your ‘Bright Idea’, go to the Life Changes Trust website

http://www.lifechangestrust.org.uk/