Knaresborough Rotary Club delivers robotic cats to help Dementia Forward

The Café in a Box scheme included a variety of activities for patients and carers to use in the home, including exercise support, soft bowling, colouring books, reminiscences books and a few basic foods as a monthly treat.

And Rotary Companion Cats were included in boxes distributed to patients who had been clinically assessed to obtain maximum benefit form Robot Cat Therapy.

“Robotic Cats run on batteries and are hugely realistic,” said Knaresborough Rotary spokesman Brian Souter.

“They miaow, purr, lick their paws and bring a smile to everybody.

“They can become a real pet and companion to many Dementia sufferers. Research evidence indicates that the therapeutic value of the robotic cats can be more beneficial than drugs for certain conditions.”

Dementia Forward is one of 10 charities chosen to win a GSK IMPACT Award in 2022, in recognition of its ‘outstanding contribution to improving the UK’s health and wellbeing’.

The award, which comes in its 10th year, includes training and development, funding and ongoing support, comes at a crucial time as they strengthen their services across the county.

Jonathan Beer from Knaresborough Rotary Club recently delivered a litter of 27 robotic cats, all wearing smart gold tags courtesy of Timpsons, bringing the total number provided by Knaresborough and Wakefield Rotary Clubs to 50.