Students create dementia cafe
College students are putting care into action for patients.
The Durham students have created a safe space for those affected by dementia.
Health and social care students at New College Durham have organised a monthly event for people living with dementia.
The Dementia Cafe starts service started in February and provides a safe environment for dementia sufferers to socialise and have a cup of tea.
The cafe is supported by the Alzheimer’s Society and aims to bring the local community together on the last Friday of every month.
The ‘Time for Tea’ event is free and will be run by kind-hearted health and social care students, with support from New College Durham staff.
In preparation, both staff and students undertook inhouse dementia friends or dementia champion training.
This social space has been made possible as a result of student and staff fundraising and donations from local businesses.
One charity event organised by the students involved 70 people, including family and friends of staff and students, doing a Memory Walk around the perimeter of Beamish Museum – over £800 was raised.
Helen Owen, Head of School at New College Durham, said: “The dementia cafe project will provide our students with a fantastic opportunity, to work in partnership with the local community in a safe and welcoming environment.
“The students have worked hard to raise money for the project and the Alzheimer’s charity are looking forward to the event.”
Craig Wade, Health and Social Care lecturer at New College Durham, said: “I am so proud of all of the students involved as they stepped up to the challenge and worked really hard to fundraise for the project.
“The support we have received from local businesses, such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s, has been overwhelming.”
Charity donations from business included tea and biscuits from Tesco’s Extra, to help with stocking the cafe, and Sainsbury’s at the Arnison Centre very kindly donated a £20 gift voucher.
Go-Ape and Delta Force Paintballing donated various gift vouchers to be raffled, and X-Factor contestant, Sam Lavery, donated two VIP concert tickets.
The Time for Tea event runs on the last Friday of every month from 1pm to 3pm. For more about the event, contact 0191 375 4000.
“I am so proud of all of the students” CRAIG WADE