Peover Churches Join National ‘Dementia Friendly’ Campaign

Members of the church group from St Oswald’s Church in Lower Peover and St Lawrence Church in Over Peover have become ‘Dementia Friends’ as part of a campaign to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding around dementia.

The group attended a free one-hour Information Session at Lower Peover School run by local Dementia Friends Champion, Amie Blott, who works at local home care provider, Carefound Home Care.

There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in England and Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of the condition. It aims to transform the way the nation thinks, talks and acts about dementia. The charity wants there to be four million Dementia Friends with the know-how to help people with dementia feel understood and included in their community.

Dementia Friends Champions are trained volunteers who talk to people about being a Dementia Friend in their communities. Speaking about the Session, Amie Blott said:

“I was so pleased to be contacted by members of St Oswald’s and St Lawrence Churches who are showing their support for people with dementia by coming along to the session and becoming Dementia Friends. This will help ensure the churches are doing all they can to be accessible and supportive to people living with dementia and their carers.”

Charlotte Adams, Dementia Friends Regional Support Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said:

“Whether you attend a face-to-face Session or watch the online video, Dementia Friends is about learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends programme to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.”

Anyone interested in supporting the campaign should contact Amie Blott at Carefound Home Care on 01625 326470 or at enquiries@carefound.co.uk.

You can also go to www.dementiafriends.org.uk.