Dementia Friendly Prestwick has been honoured with a Scotland Loves Local Award.

Work to improve lives and create colourful additions to Prestwick Promenade has been recognised on the national stage.

The programme spearheaded by Dementia Friendly Prestwick has been honoured with the Scotland Loves Local Streets and Spaces Award.

The news was announced in an online celebration of innovative and imaginative work across the country.

It comes after judges heard about the impact of an alliance’s work to make the seafront more inclusive and accessible, using dementia-friendly principles to secure new brightly coloured benches, new signage, public art, and a road crossing which are enjoyed by the whole community.

Dementia Friendly Prestwick has worked – and continues to work – with organisations including Paths For All, South Ayrshire Council, Ayrshire Roads Alliance, Sustrans and the NHS.

The group has been doing walks for three years and spotted the potential for the promenade to be made better for those with the dementia.

Trustee Julie Twaddell described the walks as a “complete joy”, She added: “We have people on our walks w ho maybe have not had the confidence to walk on their own for a while.

“Because we are a safe pair of hands, they can walk with us and walk with confidence.

“In terms of improving people’s mobility, mental health, social isolation what we have done to the promenade has made it more accessible and inclusive. We’ve seen people enjoying the benches.

“The poetic wind vanes which were a public art installation are a lovely bit of whimsy that were designed with Alec Findlay and some of the walkers in our group who have dementia. So to see this really positive, upbeat, uplifting project be so warmly embraced by the community is great.”

South Ayrshire Councillor for Prestwick, Hugh Hunter added: “This is a wonderful project to be involved with - and this is a beautiful promenade.

“What’s clear from this project is that if we get it right for people with dementia, we get it right for everyone.”