During this year's Alzheimer Scotland Awareness Week from 3rd - 9th June 2013, Shetland Arts and Alzheimer Scotland will install over 170 colourful knitted patchwork pieces and objects in and around the Foyer and Café in Mareel. Each piece will represent an individual living in the Shetland community who has a diagnosis of Dementia.
All the squares were knitted by members of the public, or a member of the monthly Mareel knitting group, and will vary from full patchwork knitted blankets to tablemats and chairbacks of stitched knitted squares, donated to the project in response to a knitting challenge for knitters of all ages in Shetland. After Dementia Awareness Week all the knitting will be stitched into blankets and donated to various Shetland charities.
Members of the public are also welcome to come along to Bonhoga Gallery on Saturday 1 June from 10am to 4pm to join in on a "Sewing Up Day."
Ann Williamson, Alzheimer Scotland's Dementia Advisor, said “The installation will hopefully get everyone thinking about Dementia. The number of people with Dementia is set to double in a generation and it is important that communities are dementia aware and talking about the illness in order to be well informed.”