Margaret is awarded for her efforts supporting Dementia Friendly Walking

Margaret Mackie with Kirrie Connections is our 2021 Dementia Friendly Walking Volunteer of the Year.

Margaret Mackie, Dementia Friendly Walking Volunteer of the Year

Margaret won the award for her voluntary work with the Dementia Friendly Health Walk project run by Kirrie Connections in Angus.

Accessibility and inclusivity play an essential role in walking for Margaret, whose husband is living with dementia. Not only do the walks provide an opportunity for those with dementia to exercise but it also offers respite to those caring for those living with dementia.

The Kirrie Connections Health Walk is a gentle dementia inclusive walk around Kirriemuir that is open to everyone and led by trained volunteers, like Margaret.

Margaret is delighted that her voluntary work has been recognised. She enthuses:

I’m over whelmed with it all. I can’t believe it. I’m so please with my award but also that the centre gets recognition.

Kirrie Connections is a dementia support hub based in Angus that works alongside Paths for All to ensure Health Walks continue to run and offer safe walking services.

It’s a 24-hour job to look after my husband and it’s just a little bit of help, a bit of respite for me. I can’t thank Kirrie Connections enough. 

I’m grateful that there are projects like this where people like my husband can have a safe space to walk and converse with people.

Dementia is such a lonely disease, so for a group of people to come together like this a few times a week is very important. It allows people with dementia to get time to socialise with others which they perhaps wouldn’t usually get.

Watch Margaret's video below.

Find out more about Kirrie Connections Dementia Friendly Health Walk on our website.

Margaret was among 11 winners at Paths for All's 12th annual Volunteers Awards. You can find out about the rest of the winners here.