From Remind UK: Local charity, Remind UK, is expanding its dementia support services into new areas around Bath and North-East Somerset (BANES) including Twerton and Southdown in Bath, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Peasedown and Keynsham. The new, free services will help people with a dementia diagnosis and their families in these areas to connect, access support and build community as well as reduce isolation and loneliness. This expansion was made possible due to three-year funding awarded to the charity from the National Lottery’s Reaching Communities Fund.
Remind UK are building on their previous experience and success in providing post-diagnosis support in other areas of Bath and North-East Somerset (BANES). Between 2023-2026 the charity’s activities and interventions reached over 500 people in the BANES area. Twelve 10-week wellbeing courses, thirteen carers events and 24 seasonal events were delivered, 74 volunteers were recruited and over 2,770 people received Remind UK’s ‘Handy Guide to Living Well with Dementia.’ The Guide provides practical guidance and local resources for connection and support for people with a recent dementia diagnosis and carers.
Local partnerships were also created by the charity with a wide range of organisations including Alzheimers Society, Age UK BANES, CURO, the Holburne Museum, Peggy Dodd, the Carers Centre, BEMSCA, Live Well BANES, the National Trust, Alive! Activities and the FILO project.
When surveyed, 99% of those attending Remind UK’s courses and events agreed that they felt supported.
Over the next three years the charity, will provide a wide-ranging programme of activities and events in three postcode areas BA2, BA3 and BS31. The activities will include 10-week wellbeing programmes and carers information workshops. There will also be a variety of peer support activities and events such as visits to the Holburne Museum in Bath for craft workshops, coffee morning socials, poetry sessions, indoor team games and a tree trail event. Remind UK’s ‘Handy Guide to Living Well with dementia’ is available for free at www.reminduk.org
Melissa Hillier, CEO at Remind UK said: “This new Lottery funding has enabled us to provide support and connection opportunities to people in areas where it is needed most. We are delighted to bring our years of expertise in working with people affected by dementia, to people who are newly diagnosed and their carers in new parts of Bath and North-East Somerset. These are communities we know are currently under-served for dementia support and where barriers such as travel or lack of awareness particularly in more rural communities, can prevent people from accessing the support they need at a challenging time in their lives.”
Peter Tadd, from Twerton who took part in a Remind UK course said: “I enjoyed all of it. I feel that attending this course has benefitted me immensely. It’s really changed my life, meeting people and going out to different places, and I’ve made friends here. I’ve enjoyed the fact that I’ve been doing different things every week.”
As well as offering support services and advice, Remind UK, is also a Research Institute conducting world-class research into dementia treatments and provides dementia diagnosis services through its Memory Clinic.
For information about events and support services in your area contact Remind UK on 01225 476420 or visit Get support – ReMind UK / www.reminduk.org/get-support
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