Would you like to help make Melksham a Dementia Friendly Community?
A great way to start is to attend a free, one hour ‘Dementia Friends’ session on Monday 18th April at either 2.30pm or 7.00pm at the Canberra Youth Centre, Spa Road.
A working group of local representatives met for the first time on Wednesday 21st March, with the objective of raising awareness of dementia and how it can affect people, so everyone can be more supportive and understanding. The group plans to work with businesses, service providers, transport groups, as well as those who have dementia and their family carers.
The local representatives will look to develop practical actions to ensure that everyone from the Melksham community area living with dementia is respected and can continue to enjoy life. The aim is to encourage people with dementia to continue to be actively engaged in community life for as long as possible.
Sheila Ashley from Alzheimer’s Support said, “The lovely thing about raising awareness and understanding of dementia is that these small changes will make life better for the whole community, not just those with dementia. The free, one hour sessions are a great way to learn a little more about the small steps we can all take to make things a little easier for those with conditions such as dementia.”
If you would like to help Melksham become more dementia friendly and learn more about the disease book a place on the Dementia Friends session at www.dementiafriends. org.uk or simply just turn up.
The Melksham Area Community Safety Group (MACSG) is pleased to have been asked to help set up the Dementia Friendly Community Steering Group which now forms part of its ‘Safer Melksham’ activities. The Safe Places scheme set up by MACSG provides over 30 places around the town and surrounding area where anyone feeling vulnerable can be assured of a friendly welcome, and provides a valuable and well-established element to the Dementia Friendly project.
The group sees this project further developing Melksham’s reputation as a welcoming and hospitable town. It supports Neighbourhood Watch, Community Speedwatch and is submitting a proposal to the Melksham Area Board for support of the Good Neighbour Scheme.
For information on the group’s activities contact Phil McMullen, the Melksham Community Area Partnership coordinator, at melkshamcap@gmail.com or contact Melksham Town Hall.
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