Ulster Guides

Ulster Guides Use The Forgetful Elephant To Learn About Dementia

After a very exciting morning in Derry I was back on the road again, heading for Belfast. The final visit of my Northern Ireland trip took me to the Ulster Girl Guides headquarters for the launch of their new badge.

 Earlier in the year I had been delighted to learn that they wanted to adopt The Forgetful Elephant as a means for the Guides to earn their badge. I was even more delighted when they came up with the idea to design a new Guide badge with my little Ellie on it. I met the Head Commissioner, Carole Graham as well as Guide Leaders from other counties throughout Northern Ireland. They were all very excited about the idea of Guides and Brownies using The Forgetful Elephant  to learn about dementia.

I met some of the Brownies and read my book to them. They enjoyed the story, and one little girl even had a Grandpa just like Ellie’s Grandpa, who tells her the same story over and over again. After my storytelling session, there was a surprise in store for Ellie, when she was made an Honorary Member of the Brownies, and presented with her very own badge and certificate.

Guides Photoshoot

It was then time for a photoshoot, where pictures were taken for the local newspaper. After a lovely dinner, provided courtesy of the Guides, it was time for another photoshoot with Guide Leaders before giving them a presentation about my work since writing The Forgetful Elephant. I was then honoured to be presented with a ‘thank you’ badge from Carole Graham, the Head Commissioner.

It was a wonderful day for me and I was so glad to have my husband Robert there to share the experience of it all. He told me that it was a real eye-opener for him to see just how many young children have a family member or know someone with dementia, and that he now realises just how important my work is and how proud of me he is.

More about Guides in Ulster here: Girlguiding Ulster