A WELLINGTON-based charity has created a handcrafted “huge butterfly and dementia awareness installation”.

Reminiscence Learning has been working in partnership with Go Create artists across eight hubs in Wellington, Taunton, Bridgwater, Burnham on Sea, Yeovil, Chard, Glastonbury, and Minehead, to create a huge butterfly and dementia awareness installation, featuring 9,413 handcrafted butterflies.

The national and regional award-winning dementia charity has come up with an innovative way to increase dementia awareness across the county by sharing Butterfly Moments (30 seconds of engagement for someone living with dementia).

The initiative is part of the Chrysalis Butterfly Events.

These butterflies will represent everyone living with dementia in Somerset and will be displayed at the Alan Rogers Centre, Wellington School, between April 2 and April 4.

The charity said there are 9,413 people living with dementia in Somerset with probably 60 per cent who do not yet have a diagnosis.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “Everyone has been creating and making butterflies within a cross-section of the community, from the children in the primary schools, to the older person in the day centre, the businessman at his desk, to the young teenager who has an interest in social care, the person with dementia and their family carers, to the forest school leader and florist in the town.

“This truly intergenerational project has touched the hearts of many and has provided a splendid community engagement project.

There are many ways that you can support the Chrysalis Butterfly Events by attending the Celebration Butterfly Dinner on Saturday, April 2, turning up to the free Family Fun Day on the Sunday, April 3 where people can take part in the circus skills, watch the Majorettes, buy lunch from a local vendor, find the golden butterfly with the children’s activity sheet, buy a raffle ticket, splat the rat, sing along to the many talented local groups or place a piece of the jigsaw they have sponsored, to create the giant 3m x 2.5m butterfly moments poem.

Those who are not able to attend these events, can buy a ticket to the Musical Extravaganza on Monday, April 4, where they can sit under the butterflies and listen to the children from Wellington School as they serenade you during your cream tea.

The ultimate aim of the events is to reduce the fear and stigma often associated with dementia and this event will definitely put Wellington on the map.

To book tickets for the events office@reminiscencelearning.co.uk or 01823 668 676.

For more information about Dementia, please visit www.reminiscencelearning.co.uk or email office@reminiscencelearning.co.uk or (01823) 668676.

The charity is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.