A Glasgow woman has been recognised for her work in tackling loneliness among adults over 50, disabled people, and those diagnosed with dementia.
Pasna Sallis founded Weekday Wow Factor in 2016 to improve the health and wellbeing of those in advanced stages of dementia and was awarded charity status in 2021.
The former NHS occupational therapist has now been awarded the Point of Light award from Boris Johnson which celebrates inspirational volunteers who make a difference in society.
One of Pasna’s flagship activities is the ‘Daytime Disco’, which runs on weekday afternoons from a Glasgow nightclub where people can enjoy non-alcoholic drinks and food, dance to favourite songs, and make new friends.
Other activities have included surfing trips, rural walks, yoga and tai chi sessions, and murder mystery days, and throughout the pandemic, Pasna has ensured all activities can continue as far as possible in a virtual capacity with some clients going from using a house phone to using a smart device to stay connected.
Commenting on the award, Pasna said: "We are absolutely blown away and delighted with this recognition – thank you! We are a small, grassroots community organisation.
'We co-design and deliver exciting opportunities with adults to awaken the inner child. Our community members have been helping to lift the Community Spirit through our unique activities such as a virtual Daytime Disco, virtual walking, virtual cycling over video conferencing, and face-to-face, lifting each other up.
"We thank everyone involved in recognising the ‘Weekday Wow Factor’ community and the work we do!”
Find out more about Weekday Wow Factor here.
