Memory Meadow
Coming soon to the Furry Friends Animal Therapy farm. Memory Meadow is our dedicated, dementia-focused animal-assisted wellbeing experience, thoughtfully crafted to foster warmth, connection, and gentle comfort amidst nature.
A gentle sanctuary for connection
At Furry Friends, we have always believed in the incredible connection that can exist between people and animals.
Through our animal-assisted therapy work, we have seen animals bring smiles where words are difficult, encourage conversations, evoke memories and provide quiet companionship when that is exactly what somebody needs.
Now, we want to bring those experiences together with the peace and familiarity of farm life.
Therapeutic outdoor wellbeing
Memory Meadow is a new dementia-focused project being developed by Furry Friends Animal Therapy, creating opportunities for people living with dementia to spend meaningful time with animals, nature and other people in a relaxed farm environment.
Rather than every visit following a rigid programme, activities will be shaped around the individual — their abilities, interests, experiences and how they are feeling that day.
Someone may want to get involved in caring for an animal. Someone else might prefer to sit with a cup of tea and stroke a miniature Shetland pony. Another person might simply enjoy watching the chickens scratching around outside.
All of those experiences matter.
Memory Meadow will be about what people can do, rather than focusing on what they can no longer do.
Opening in the near future
Animals can be wonderful conversation starters.
Meeting a pony might bring back memories of horses someone knew as a child. Collecting an egg could lead to stories about keeping chickens. The feel of an animal’s coat, the sounds of the farm or even particular smells may spark conversations about experiences from many years ago.
Memory Meadow will create space for those memories and stories to emerge naturally, without pressure.
And if somebody tells us the same wonderful story every week?
We’ll happily listen every single time.
No two people experience dementia in exactly the same way.
That’s why Memory Meadow will take a person-centred approach.
Before participating, we’ll want to understand the person behind the diagnosis — their interests, previous experiences with animals, communication preferences, mobility or accessibility requirements, things they enjoy and anything that may make them uncomfortable or anxious.
Activities can then be adapted accordingly.
Nobody needs previous experience with animals, and nobody will ever be expected to interact with an animal they aren’t comfortable with.
The welfare and safety of both our visitors and our animals will remain at the centre of everything we do.
Memory Meadow is being developed specifically with people living with dementia in mind, including those who may benefit from animal interaction, gentle meaningful activity, time outdoors and opportunities for social connection.
As the project develops, we’ll provide more information about how sessions will work, accessibility, carers and family members, group sizes, referrals or bookings and the support we can safely provide.
We want to build Memory Meadow carefully rather than rush it.
Memory Meadow began with something very simple: seeing first-hand the difference that being around animals and the farm could make to someone living with dementia.
Sometimes the biggest moments aren’t particularly big at all.
It’s a hand resting on the back of an animal.
A story suddenly remembered.
A job somebody is proud to have completed.
A laugh over something an animal has done.
Or simply a peaceful afternoon somewhere that feels safe, familiar and unhurried.
Those are the moments we want Memory Meadow to create.
Memory Meadow
Animals • Nature • Memories • Connection • Purpose
By Furry Friends Animal Therapy
Coming soon…