DORCHESTER’S former M&S store is to take on a new use – a drop-in “Living Room.”

It will be officially opened on Saturday June 11 and marked by rolling a piano up South Street, the instrument donated by the United Church.

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The idea is for an informal drop-in space where people come in for a chat, whether they are lonely, in need of help, of have something to offer fellow citizens.

It will operate in conjunction with other projects also taking place within the former store.

The Living Room concept is now functioning around the world – in workplaces, hospitals, derelict properties or in schools and universities. The Dorchester centre will be the first in Dorset.

The Living Rooms spring from Matt Potts, who initially set up “Crisis at Christmas” and who recently delivered a talk on his work with an organisation he founded called Camerados at a health event in Dorchester in early May.

Underlying his work is that fact that most people appear to have been happiest either with another person, or when they were doing something purposeful, either at work or through voluntary or community projects.

The basic idea is that you bring people together, no matter how different they are, things happen and changes are made for the good, without the need for ‘leadership’ or even a theme.

Among the principles are: “It is OK to mix with people you are not normally with. The underlying grain of humanity is kindness and “It’s OK to be silly. Humour and light-heartedness gets stuff done. It oils the wheels of engagement in others.”

Taking on the idea in Dorchester is the Dorset Carers Hub, which is based in the old M&S store.

Said joint organiser of the earlier health event, Paul Wallis: “There was overwhelming support for a Public Living Room, a drop-in centre, a safe space, where there was no pressure, where people of all kinds and backgrounds can feel comfortable, where people have time to talk and time to listen.”

Local people are being encouraged to visit on the day with a range of other community organisations represented on June 11th and a small number of sales stalls available to help support the project financially. Donations can be dropped into the South Street former shop.

The May 4th “Help: Your Health, Your Community”, event was organised on behalf of nine Patient Practice Groups in the Dorchester area with the idea of looking at ideas which have worked elsewhere and which could be adopted in and around the county town.

“So often individual workers in the NHS and volunteers feel they are working in isolated silos of interest. The speakers were chosen to illustrate how other communities have tackled problems of isolation which will create major problems ahead for the NHS. Closer integration of the third sector with the NHS is essential for both the NHS and the community in preventing rather than treating illness,” said Mr Wallis, who chairs the Poundbury Practice PPG.