THE Walk With Scott Foundation ‘RemPods’ have gone on their first major ‘outing’ – bringing all the sights and sounds of the beach to a day centre.

The pop-up reminiscence pods, which are designed to recreate memorable surroundings for people with dementia, were donated to the people of East Lothian by the foundation, which aims to ensure every day centre and care home in East Lothian has access to them.

They sent their beach-themed RemPod to Harlawhill Day Centre, Prestonpans, this week to create a week-long trip to the beach for its users.

The centre has been joining in the seaside theme by serving up fish suppers for lunch while an ice-cream van visits daily at 2pm.

Fancy dress themes change daily while still having a beach feel, ranging from vintage seaside to a Hawaiian day and revisiting different decades.

The beach memory pod provided background scenery, deckchairs, sand and sandcastles, the sound of seagulls and seaside music, as well as scent pods with smells of the sea and candy floss.

These therapy tools aim to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia.

Staff at the centre have also joined in with beach hats and knotted hankies for service users.

And they were visited on Saturday by fundraiser Scott Glynn, of Tranent, who inspired the foundation, and his wife Carol.

Scott entertained everyone at the centre as he danced in his best coconut and hoola skirt.

Karen Kidd, from the foundation, said it was great to see the RemPods being used and revealed there was already a waiting list of centres keen to book them.

She said: “The Walk with Scott Foundation are absolutely delighted to see the RemPods in use and are so proud of all of the Scotters from this year (walkers and supporters) who helped raise the cash to make this possible.

“This is the first outing of one of the memory pods we bought and gifted to the care homes and day centres in East Lothian in July.”

The pods, which also include a cinema, potting shed, vintage tea room and 1950s living room themes, are being kept at Crookston Care Home, Tranent, and can be booked through them by telephoning 01875 824170.

Fiona Mitchell, Harlawhill Centre manager said: “Eighty per cent of our service users have been diagnosed with dementia/ alzheimers. The RemPods are great for early onset and advanced stages of dementia – even our friends without dementia thoroughly enjoyed them as it took them back to a happy place, to a memory that perhaps was forgotten.

“It was fun for staff as well as our service users. There was one particular story which summed up the day and the marvellous effect the RemPods have.

“We received a message from a service user’s daughter asking had her mum been at North Berwick for the day?

“This was because she hadn’t stopped talking about being at the beach and having ice cream. A marvellous day was had by all”.