ELDERLY and vulnerable people who fall ill or become disorientated on a trip to Royal Wootton Bassett high street can now pop in to a nearby shop for assistance.

A Safe Places scheme, was launched officially yesterday at Boots, with MP James Gray and Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson, taking the town a step closer towards its goal of becoming dementia friendly.

Backed by businesses in the town centre, the scheme offers those who need it somewhere close by to go for assistance in an emergency and it is not just aimed at the elderly. Children who are being bullied on the way home from school can also call in where they see the special orange sticker.

Linda Frost, chairman of the Caring About Dementia group said: “This is what we need for people who do have dementia, but at the same time it is also a facility that is going to be useful to anybody.”

She said 14 businesses in the high street were already keen to sign up and in the next few days would be receiving information and logos. “We are known as the caring town and that is very much the case.”

Safe Places been set up by Caring About Dementia, Wiltshire Police and the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board. It involves shop staff offering a helping hand to someone when they need it, such as somewhere to rest for a few minutes or the use of a telephone to call relatives.

ICE cards – in case of emergency – are also being distributed. They can be filled in with contact details for next of kin and used to alert relatives when the cardholder becomes incapacitated.