‘It plays a big part in the way I think about myself’: An evaluation of a gardening group for people recently diagnosed with dementia

This article summarises an evaluation of a 6-month gardening group for people recently diagnosed with dementia and their family members. This group was initiated by Bolton Memory Service and developed in conjunction with Bolton Council and the voluntary sector. Focus groups and feedback questionnaires were conducted to gain views from service users on what the gardening group meant to them in relation to their wellbeing and adjustment to the diagnosis. This report summarises this feedback and discusses the potential benefits of providing opportunities for purposeful activities for people recently diagnosed with dementia in the memory service.