Winchester Dementia Friendly High Street is now launched!On 23rd October 2014, Winchester became the first city in Hampshire to launch a Dementia Friendly High Street. The launch event took place at Winchester Guildhall in the presence of many local people, as well as official guests and representatives from local businesses and organisations. Everyone enjoyed a fantastic performance from ‘Singing for Well-being’, a local singing group run by ‘Winchester Live at Home scheme’. Winchester has over 50 businesses and organisations who have signed up to the scheme including Winchester BID, Boots Opticians & Pharmacy, C&H Fabrics, YMCA Café, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, and TSB Bank. At the launch the Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Eileen Berry, presented them with ‘Working to become Dementia Friendly’ stickers – look out for them when you are out and about in Winchester!

For more information, please contact Vessi on 07827 318032, or e-mail vessi.wharton@andovermind.org.uk

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The Ageas Bowl Launch Dementia Friendly Project.

In November, Hampshire Cricket in the Community launched a ground-breaking new project which will see the Ageas Bowl become one of the first dementia friendly sporting venues in the country. Hampshire Cricket in the Community joined the Hampshire Dementia Action Alliance after hearing about Dementia Friendly Hampshire from the project’s local co-ordinator and developed their action plan. Over the next 12 months, they will be supporting people in the local area who are living with dementia through a number of different initiatives.

In partnership with Dementia Friendly Hampshire, Eastleigh Borough Council, and The Alzheimer’s Society, the official charity of Hampshire Cricket will be providing regular reminiscence sessions for residents of local care homes, carers and individuals living with dementia. Also, to support those cricket fans who live with dementia, all Ageas Bowl staff will attend Dementia Friends awareness sessions and Hampshire Members will be encouraged to sign-up as a ‘Dementia Buddy’ to aid those who attend the Ageas Bowl as a spectator.

For more information on getting involved with this project please contact Community Manager, Greig Stewart on 07920 452511 or e-mail greig.stewart@ageasbowl.com.

‘Dementia Friendly Hampshire: The Story So Far’ – travelling exhibition launches in Basingstoke.

The exhibition features works from Hampshire artists and writers, as well as people with dementia and their carers. Officially opening on Thursday 22nd January, in Basingstoke, the exhibition will then move on to Andover, Winchester and Havant, throughout January and February.

The exhibition will tell the story of dementia friendly communities in Hampshire, as well as offering information on the condition and the support available. Anyone attending will be able to participate in the exhibition by hanging a special tag on a tree to demonstrate support for people with dementia in Hampshire. The team behind the exhibition are hoping to fill the tree’s branches with tags by the time the pop-up exhibition finishes.

Debra Ramchurn, Chief Executive of Andover Mind, the organisers of the exhibition commented:

“We are very proud of what the Dementia Friendly Hampshire campaign has achieved to date, including eight Dementia Friendly High Streets. We wanted to do something to celebrate the work as well as continue to raise awareness of dementia in Hampshire. Dementia cases are set to rise, so it’s important that we show how it is possible for people with the condition to live well with the support and understanding of the local community.”

Basingstoke Jan 22nd to 28thAndover W/C Feb 2nd Winchester Feb 12thHavant Feb 25th to 28th

Exhibition Dates

Support your local Dementia Action GroupAll across the county, Dementia Action Groups are being set up by enthusiastic volunteers, committed to making their community dementia friendly. The groups are autonomous, deciding for themselves what they want to do and how they want to do it but they receive support and guidance from the Hampshire Dementia Action Alliance.

Action Groups in Hampshire• Alton• Andover• Basingstoke• Eastleigh• Fareham• Fleet• Four Marks, Ropley & Medstead• Gosport / Lee-on-Solent• Hartley Wintney• Hedge End• Hythe• Liss• Lymington• Lyndhurst• Milford-on-Sea• New Alresford• New Milton• Odiham• Petersfield• Ringwood• Romsey• Stubbington• Winchester

Hampshire Dementia Action Alliance exceeds 300 members

We are delighted that the Hampshire Dementia Action Alliance has been so well supported by local businesses and organisations across Hampshire. In the last quarter, we gained a further 100 members, bringing the total membership to over 300.

This is a really important initiative in the work to bring dementia friendly communities to Hampshire. The alliance is working with local action groups to make a real difference for people with dementia and their carers. If you would like to find out about joining the alliance, please contact dfc@andovermind.org.uk.

The groups always welcome new volunteers and are grateful for any contribution they can make from delivering awareness sessions and talking with businesses to looking after admin and helping set up or run meetings. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact dfc@andovermind.org.uk and we will put you in touch with your local group. If there isn’t a group in your area, we can help you to start one.

2014-2015

Contact details:Project Manager debbie.morshead@andovermind.org.uk | 07827 318017

News• New peer support group

launching Jan 29th at the Methodist Church Hall Lee on Solent. Open on the last Thursday of every month between 2 and 4 and run by Age Concern Hampshire and Home Instead Fareham. Contact 01329 282469 for more information.

• Dementia Conference 12th February 2015 hosted by Hampshire County Council at the Middle Brook Centre Winchester. Call Debbie Morshead for details.

• Alton peer support group The Thursday Club is launching on Thursday 19th February and will run from 2-3pm on the 3rd Thursday of the month at Alton library. It is an opportunity to reminisce and share past times together. For more details please contact Susan Fifield on 01420 83147.

www.hants.gov.uk/dementiafriendly

Would you like to help raise awareness and become a Dementia Champion?

Andover Mind, in partnership with, Test Valley Borough Council, Winchester City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and New Forest District Council are looking for enthusiastic people to train as ‘Dementia Champions’. If you are over the age of 18, have an interest in dementia, enjoy talking to groups of people and are willing to dedicate a small amount of time to run Dementia Friends information sessions, you could become a ‘Dementia Champion’. Full training will be given and it is completely free. To find out more please contact the local Dementia Champions Co-ordinator:

Julie Eden (Winchester and Test Valley) Email: julie.eden@andovermind.org.ukMob: 07810 283813Jackie Smith (Eastleigh and the New Forest)Email:jackie.smith@andovermind.org.uk Mob: 07810 266966

Newsletter January 2015 | Photos by kind permission of Mandy Moore