Maria Duddy took the SocialSofa initiative to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and it was a great success! The project was intended to encourage cohesion in the community. There is a lot of loneliness among the elderly who are suffering from dementia.
 
The SocialSofa was designed by thirty-five tenants of a supported housing schemeayo called Hemsworth Court in the Shankill district. The SocialSofa was unveiled by Lord Mayor Councillor Nichola Mallon and she paid tribute to all those who worked on the project.
 
According to Maria, “Tenants, community groups, day centres, children from local primary schools and volunteers have shared memories and feelings through art. They learned new technical, practical and creative design skills by mosaicking a SocialSofa. The whole process has enabled the tenants of Hemsworth Court to take a journey of memories’.