About bold
The Project
bold reflects our aspiration to be courageous, creative and imaginative in our approach. The full project title, Bringing Out Leaders in Dementia, recognises that a large number of new leaders of all ages and from all walks of life, including many persons living with dementia, are already finding their place in ‘the dementia world’.
In 2019 we launched the project in Inverness and East Lothian. Due to the Pandemic in October 2020 we launched an exciting online programme with people from all over Scotland. The people that we have been working with are a real mix of those working in the community; on arts projects; in care homes; charities; some have relatives living with dementia; others have dementia and others who are interested in doing something positive to help those living with dementia reach their potential. The focus of bold is to use a mixture of creative methods to encourage creativity, innovation and personal development.
Click the video below to discover more about the bold programme.
The bold Project Team
Professor
Brendan McCormack
Bold Project Co-Director; Head of the Divisions of Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Art Therapies; Head of the Graduate School; Associate Director, Centre for Person-centred Practice Research, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Three words which describe me: high-energy, creative, person-centred
My work has always focused on person-centred practice, gerontological nursing, and practice development. This research has resulted in successful long-term collaborations in Ireland, the UK, Norway, The Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Slovenia and South Africa. I am particularly interested in the use of arts and creativity in healthcare research and development. To find out more about my research click here.
Professor
Heather Wilkinson
Bold Project Co-Director; Director of Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (E-CRED), University of Edinburgh
Three words which describe me: collaborative, curious, plate-spinner
My work focuses on developing better understandings of methodological and personal perspectives of people with dementia and redressing the neglect of the perspectives of those with learning disabilities and dementia. I am currently training as a psychotherapist in order to work more closely with people affected by dementia to understand their emotional experiences and needs.
Find out more about my research work here.
Dr Lorna Hill
Bold Project Facilitator, Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (E-CRED)
Three words which describe me (according to a quick poll) : kind, creative, patient
I have always loved words and stories and am a passionate advocate of the positive impact that creative writing and reading can have on people’s health and well-being. I am particularly interested in using, testing and developing creative methods to engage people in the community and have a particular interest in working with those living with dementia.
For more information about my work and research here.
Dr Frankie Greenwood
Bold Project Facilitator, Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (E-CRED)
Three words which describe me: hopeful, gregarious, creative
Having spent many years leading music workshops for people living with dementia, I have a strong interest in how connections between people with and without the ability to use words to communicate develop in creative ways. My interest led to PhD research that explores the experience of making meaningful connections with people with advanced dementia, and has brought deep insight into how relationships between people with and without dementia can continue to flourish throughout the dementia journey. Committed to the ongoing development of fully inclusive communities, I am excited to be one of the project facilitators on the bold project team.
Alison Bacigalupo
Bold Project Administrator
Three words which describe me: enthusiast, listener, people-focused
I have many years of business management experience in the travel, leisure and hospitality sectors and latterly shifted my management focus to human resources and people development before joining the team at Queen Margaret University (QMU). I work closely with the Division of Nursing giving admin support to the Post-graduate Person-centred Programmes and a number of additional projects that promote Nurse learning, development and practice. My career has, and will always remain focused on people, believing that people really are at the heart of everything we do!
Magdalena Schamberger
Bold Creative Director; Honorary Professor, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Three words to describe me: curious, enthusiastic and playful
I am passionate about using creativity and the performing arts to engage, collaborate and co-create with people living with dementia.
My most recent production, Curious Shoes, has toured extensively to theatres, care homes, day and community centres across Scotland. I developed Artful Minds, an experiential training initiative for artists of all art-forms to engage with people affected by dementia.
I am an independent creative collaborator, theatre maker, facilitator and teacher. I combine 30 years of experience in physical theatre and clowning with 19 years of creatively engaging with people living with dementia. I regularly teach Compassionate Clowning across the globe.
Find out more about my freelance and theatre work here.
Lorna Lyons
Bold Digital Content Manager
Three words which describe me: empathetic, open-minded, creative
I have many years of marketing experience in the publishing sector. Before the pandemic I was running my own business in hospitality. When that closed, I decided to shift my focus to working in care in the community. I had a particular soft spot for the people I cared for with a dementia as my own Gran lived with dementia and our family with her on the journey.
Joining the team at bold has allowed me to combine my marketing background with continuing to work with those living with dementia. I strongly believe that bringing light to what can be a scary diagnosis by using creativity is an inspiring objective, and one I am delighted to be a part of within the bold team.
Our partners and friends
We have a community of dedicated people
We are also being supported by several partner organisations and individuals, including persons living with dementia and creative collaborators who are breaking new ground in the way we think about inclusion, participation and contribution.
We are excited to see what we can do together and also to grow our community.
