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East Pallant House, 1 East Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TY
Tel: 01243 534679 Email: [email protected]
Date of Release: 12 May 2015
Ref: 3518
Chichester encouraged to become Dementia friendly
People who want to make a difference to those living with dementia and their carers
are invited to join the Chichester Dementia Alliance being launched during Dementia
Awareness Week which starts on Monday 18 May.
The alliance is made up of individuals and partners including the Aldingbourne Trust,
Mind, Chichester District Council’s Wellbeing team and the Alzheimer’s Society. The
launch takes place on Saturday 23 May, 11am – 2pm at Chichester Cathedral Green
and also coincides with the Living With Dementia Festival led by the Chichester
Cultural Learning Partnership.
The alliance is encouraging people to use social media to generate support and print
off special posters aimed at individuals and businesses that say ‘I am a
#ChichesterDementiaFriend’ or ‘We’re #ChichesterDementiaFriends’. The alliance is
asking people to take photos of themselves with the posters and load them onto
social media to help generate support and awareness.
“The role of the alliance is to work towards removing the stigma around dementia,
and educate the public about how it can impact on people’s lives,” explains Elaine
Thomas, Community Wellbeing Manager at Chichester District Council. “We want to
work with local people and businesses to ensure that when people use local services
they can do so knowing that their staff are trained to understand their needs.
“We want to understand what people living with dementia and their carers want and
need to support them. We’re inviting people with dementia and their carers to be part
of a focus group which will meet to share experiences and help us to understand
what needs to be done to make a difference to their lives.”
Mark Shuttleworth, branch manager of NatWest bank in Chichester, and the newest
member of the alliance, says: “Our branch helps and assists more than 20,000
people a week and I am sure that we come across people who have, or who are
showing, signs of dementia. I want to make sure my team and I can recognise the
symptoms and support these customers.”
It is expected that the numbers of people aged 65 and over in Chichester District
with dementia will rise by 58.2% from 2,329 in 2015 to 3,685 in 2030. This means
the district will have the third highest population living with dementia in West Sussex,
so it is critical that partners work together to provide the right support.
The alliance includes a wide range of people and organisations who want to make a
difference. Anyone can join and contribute, but the alliance is especially keen to
involve people living with dementia and those who care for someone with dementia.
Catherine Diamond, senior associate from local law firm Thomas Eggar and alliance
member, says: “Thomas Eggar is proud to support the Chichester Dementia Alliance
initiative to create and promote Chichester as a ‘dementia friendly’ community.
Dementia is affecting increasing numbers of the population and as a business we
must do what we can to both raise awareness of the illness and to support those
individuals, their families and carers, who are living with dementia and require our
services.”
At the launch, members of the public will be able to speak to members and find out
information about the support on offer. Members will also be encouraging people
who live and work in Chichester to attend one of the many Dementia Friends
information sessions it will be hosting. These hour-long information workshops are
for any member of the public and focus on the effects of dementia and what they can
do to help people who have dementia. Dates and locations are as follows:
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May 26: 11.30am, St Pauls Church Hall, Chichester;
May 26: 2.30pm and 5.30pm, New Park Centre, Chichester;
May 27: 11.30am and 2.30pm,Thomas Eggar offices, Chichester;
May 27: 5.30pm, The New Park Centre, Chichester;
May 28: 11.30am, 2.30pm and 5.30pm, Thomas Eggar offices; and
May 29: 11.30am, 2.30pm and 5.30pm, New Park Centre, Chichester.
For more information call Chichester Wellbeing on 01243 521041, email
[email protected] or see www.chichester.gov.uk/dementiafriends
to book a place on one of the sessions.
And after the Chichester Dementia Alliance is formally launched on 23 May, a tea
dance will be taking place for people with dementia and their carers at the Vicars
Hall.
For more information, to get involved in the work of the alliance or join the focus
group please contact the Community Wellbeing Team on 01243 521041 or see
www.chichesterwellbeing.org.uk
ENDS
For further information, please contact Clare Hawkin,
Public Relations Officer, on 01243 534679