All Friends Here

A campaign to raise awareness and understanding of dementia has the support of a local West Hill volunteer, as well as the WHCA. Lynn Hopkins, of Albert Road, a Volunteer Dementia Friends Champion trained by the Alzheimer’s Society, is running free ‘Dementia Friends’ Information Sessions and is looking for local people to come along to West Hill Hall on January 16 2017.

Alzheimer’s Society research shows that 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, and millions more lives are touched by dementia. Dementia Friends was launched to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding that means many people with the condition experience loneliness and social exclusion.

The Dementia Friends programme is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia by creating dementia friendly communities. It aims to transform the way the nation thinks, talks and acts about the condition. So far, over 1.7 million people have become Dementia Friends in the UK.

Having volunteered to be a Dementia Friends Champion, Lynn, is now delivering Dementia Friends Sessions to people across Brighton. She said: ‘I signed up to be a Dementia Friends Champion because dementia has affected my own family. It’s easy to get involved. Dementia Friends is about learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help to make life easier for those living with it. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends programme, to just being more understanding in local shops, or visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts, no matter how big or small. Come and join us!’

The free one-hour session will take place at West Hill Hall on Monday 16 January at 11.00am. Anyone wanting to attend the Dementia Friends Session can contact Lynn by telephone on 07900 244211, email lynn.hopkins@ntlworld.com or register directly for the event at dementiafriends.org.uk where you can also find out more about the initiative. Please do also get in touch if you can’t make the 16 January, as Lynn will be scheduling more events, and she can also help if you’d like to arrange an event for your workplace or community group. Become a Dementia Friend, and help to create a more dementia-friendly community.