I was interested to read last week’s letter, ‘Just a gesture’ (Nov 15), and wanted to give another slant on high street businesses opening their toilets to the public.

As a daughter and carer of someone living with dementia, and as a member of the Dementia Friendly Bridport steering group, I’m all for businesses opening their toilets to the public. Living with dementia can be a struggle at times and, while out in town, finding a toilet quickly without having to walk far can be a challenge and potentially very stressful.

It is recognised that those living with dementia can become increasingly isolated and that fear of needing the toilet while out is one of the contributing factors.

In an attempt to address this, and in response to the needs expressed by local carers, Dementia Friendly Bridport is encouraging local cafes and pubs to join a local Use Our Loo scheme. In doing so they welcome customers and non customers alike to use their toilet facilities and display a window sticker to let people know this.

We are still in the process of recruiting local businesses but so far we have been very encouraged by the response and are truly grateful to those who have, very publicly spirited, signed up.

While I totally agree with the political view that businesses opening their toilet facilities to the public should not be an alternative to funding for public toilets, I don’t believe the two should be mutually exclusive.

As a community we need more public toilets and more businesses to open their facilities to the public. To help people living with dementia enjoy being in town as much as possible we need more frequent ‘loo stops’ available.

This will also apply to many other groups of people where their mobility is limited and/or their need for a loo is more urgent.

I’d personally like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Bridport Museum and all the pubs and cafes that have signed up. We will soon put details of these businesses on our new website dementiafriendlybridport.co.uk

If any other businesses would like to join the scheme, please contact Dementia Friendly Bridport by email at dementiafriendly bridport@gmail.com or telephone our chairman Debra on 01308 425519.

CAROLE EMMERSON

Bridport