Work starts on £4 million centre of excellence that's creating 100 jobs

A pioneering centre of excellence for people with dementia will create more than 100 new jobs in Wrexham.

Work is underway on the £4 million centre which is being built at the main Pendine Park site on the outskirts of the town.

It is due to open next year and heralds a new approach to the way people with dementia are looked after.

The new centre, to be called Bodlondeb (place of contentment), will look after 64 people with dementia who need day care, respite care or residential services.

It will be divided into eight small, family-like units so that the residents receive as much individual care and attention as possible while benefiting from the back-up of a larger organisation.

The concept has been developed in conjunction with academic experts from Bangor University, the Alzheimer's Society and other leading organisations.

The centre has been designed by the Wynn Rogers Partnership in Denbigh and it's being built by Wrexham-based Rofft Developments.

News about the boost for the local economy and the provision of much needed services has delighted Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths.

She has supported the scheme from the outset and visited Pendine Park for a progress update from proprietor Mario Kreft.

The AM said: "As always at Pendine Park, a great deal of thought and consideration has gone into the building and the surroundings.

"This centre is something that we really need here in Wrexham because dementia is an increasing problem.

"Although we want to keep people at home and live independently for as long as possible, there is going to be a greater demand for places like Bodlondeb.

Mr Kreft and his wife, Gill, first started providing residential care nearly 25 years ago because they could not find somewhere suitable for their grandparents.

The centre of excellence has been inspired by his grandmother, who had Alzheimer's and whose home in Rhyl was called Bodlondeb.

He said: "We started out by trying to work out how we would want our grandparents looked after. We are passionate about giving people the best possible care in a home environment."