Kidderminster man converts garage into dementia friendly museum

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-61548999

Version 0 of 1.

The MG TA was the first item Jeremy Thomas purchased

A man has converted his garage into a tiny museum to help dementia patients.

Jeremy Thomas, from Kidderminster in Worcestershire, works in care and said he was inspired by the stories he hears from the people he works with.

After hearing their stories from World War Two, he said, he began collecting items starting with a classic car.

Mr Thomas said he wanted to do something good for the elderly people he cares for as well as teaching younger generations about history.

Mr Thomas said he has had a lot of interest in the museum

During his work, Mr Thomas said the people he was caring for would tell him about their service during World War Two, which inspired him to learn more.

"The more I learned about World War Two, the more I actually realised how hard it was for these people," he said.

The first item he bought was the 1936 MG TA car which had belonged to the son of a patient. He decided then that he wanted to "do good with it".

Some items he bought from auctions while others have been donated, Mr Thomas said.

"I wanted to bring it back to society about how things were back then," he said. "I also want to teach the younger generation how hard it was for people.

"If it wasn't for the people like I had cared for I don't think we would be here today."

Mr Thomas said he also hopes to visit local care homes

He said he also plans to visit nursing homes with his portable 1930s picnic gramophone.

Mr Thomas expects to welcome the first visitors to his museum later this week and said he had received lots of emails of interest from people to visit the museum.

"I think my heart sort of tells me to do good," he said. "As long as I am helping people, that is all I am interested in."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk