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People living with dementia become citizen journalists as part of new Bright Shadow project
People living with dementia become citizen journalists in groundbreaking Bright Shadow project backed by Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
New publication Bright Times empowers people with dementia to tell their own stories, changing how society sees life with the condition. Download your copy below!
A team of people living with dementia have been trained as journalists in a first-of-its-kind creative news initiative, Bright Times. From a newly created newsroom at St Martin’s Hospital in Canterbury, the publication challenges stereotypes about life with dementia, producing meaningful stories and offering practical guidance to people living with and affected by dementia from people with first hand experience.
Our team of reporters living with dementia have led the development of the monthly publication in collaboration with professional journalists, photographers and artists. Run by Bright Shadow in partnership with Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, Bright Times is backed by the Age UK Innovation Fund. Designed to ensure people living with dementia are leading the conversation about their lives, the publication meets an urgent need for a fundamental shift in how society views and supports people living with dementia.
“Bright Times challenges so many of society’s misconceptions about dementia,” said Gill Ashington, a reporter for Bright Times. “It’s different from anything else. It appreciates the value of peer support and the ability of people with dementia to learn new skills, giving us a voice. Instead of feeling finished or doomed, it offers hope and purpose.”
“By placing leadership of the publication firmly in the hands of people living with dementia, Bright Times has the potential to shift perceptions and influence how communities and services approach dementia,” said Dr Elizabeth Field, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Lead for Psychological Practice at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.
Bright Times builds on insights from Bright Shadow’s Open Forums, which highlighted how difficult it can be to navigate dementia support services. Participants identified that people with dementia themselves are often best placed to help others find their way. The publication creates a space for people with dementia to share these insights, featuring inspiring stories, practical tips, and creative approaches to living well with dementia. Initially distributed locally and online, Bright Times will be available in cafés, shops, hospital clinics, and GP surgeries across East Kent.
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