Tisbury Memory Group kicked off the New Year on a high note with a live interview on Graham Rogers’ BBC Radio Wiltshire show on Monday 6th January 2025.
With the radio station’s broad reach across both Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, it was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of TMG and its mission to provide stimulation, fun and camaraderie to those with any form of short-term memory loss. We were also able to underline the ongoing necessity for regular funding to sustain activities, expand our reach and enable continued responsiveness to community needs.
Tisbury Memory Group's evolution over the past 10+ years was discussed and how, as natural extensions of the bi-weekly Memory Group, pop-up cafes were introduced to fill the gap, followed in 2024 by the monthly free soup lunches. We are a vibrant group and, whether member or helper, are all in it together!
The soup lunches were a particular focus of the interview. Being more than just a free meal—they bring people together, offer warmth, companionship, and have connected attendees with valuable resources, such as the Wiltshire Council Warm & Safe service.
These lunches have been made possible through a grant from the Sir George Earle Benevolent Fund (via Wiltshire Community Foundation). However, it was emphasised that TMG’s activity extends far beyond these events and that as an independent, wholly volunteer-run group, the entirety of every contribution we receive goes to supporting the wellbeing of our community. At present, all funding comes from self-sourced initiatives or generous donations from local patrons; we do not receive any financial or other support from the Local Authority.
On a final note, we were delighted to hear TMG’s website, www.tisburymemorygroup.co.uk/, praised for its clarity and ease of use. This feedback is especially meaningful to us as we strive to make every aspect of the Group accessible to all.
We are most grateful to BBC Radio Wiltshire for giving us this platform to highlight TMG and all it does. If you missed the interview, you can catch up on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kbszz9/
Interview: starts at 46:30; ends at 53:00.
