Past Times began in October 2021 when Rutherglen Stonelaw Church initiated a community outreach project to provide dementia-friendly activities designed for, and with, people living with dementia and their carers.

In March 2025, Past Times joined the Meeting Centres Scotland network. Meeting Centres are community-based facilities across Scotland that offer a welcoming and supportive environment for people living with dementia, by providing a range of services and activities tailored to the needs and interests of individuals with dementia and support for their families and care partners.

Run solely by volunteers, we started with one meeting each month and by March 2025 our service extended to three meetings in the month. 

Following a successful application for funding we employed our first Project Manager in April 2026. This part-time post has allowed us to move to a weekly service so our visitors know that our doors will be open every Wednesday afternoon. See our home page for the activities Past Times currently provides to the community.

On the 8th April 2026 we received confirmation from OSCR, the Scottish Charities Regulator, that we had been successful in achieving charity status for Past Times. We hope that this independent charity status will be a benefit when we seek future funding.

Current sources of funding

• ScottishGovernment’s Mental Health and Community Wellbeing Fund

• Age Scotland’s Encouraging and Supporting Grass Roots Activities Fund.