Finalists from around Kent have been chosen for the new Dementia Friendly Kent Awards launched earlier this year. The awards celebrate the great work carried about out by volunteers, organisations and projects to help make Kent more dementia friendly.
There have been many nominations for the seven award categories. These were all judged by 28 people from across Kent who are living with dementia.
The awards were created by Kent Dementia Action Alliance and sponsored by Kent organisations and businesses to increase awareness and understanding of the condition, reduce stigma and help make communities more supportive for people living with dementia. The alliance is made up of partners from Kent County Council, the NHS, district and borough councils, local businesses, the voluntary sector and Kent residents all working together.
Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health Graham Gibbens said: “Step by step these achievements are changing people’s perceptions about the condition and transforming the way people act, talk and think about dementia. As more and more people become involved in making their local communities dementia friendly, we expect that this wonderful work will only continue.
“The Dementia Action Alliance is working hard to make Kent a better place for people living with dementia, we know there is still a long way to go to truly bring about a society wide response to dementia, but every step in the right direction is one worth taking. Through these awards we wanted to showcase some of the innovative and excellent work happening across Kent and hopefully encourage others to become part of the journey with us.”
The finalists from around Kent are:
Gravesham: Four 90 year olds for the Kent volunteer awards, Stan, Sheila, Vera and Gordon.
Dartford: David Evans for Kent’s inspiring person living with dementia.
Thanet: Sunshine Saturdays run by AgeUK are finalists for the Intergenerational category and Jackie Tuppen, founder of the Cogs Club is a finalist for the Kent volunteer category.
Canterbury: Caffee89, a cafe in Tankerton is a finalist for the organisational initiative category, Blean village lunch club volunteers for the Kent Volunteer category and Keith Oliver for Kent’s inspiring person living with dementia award.
Swale: A dementia carers workshop, No place like home in Faversham is a finalist for the organisational initiative category. The Forum shopping centre, Sittingbourne is a finalist for both the organisational initiative category and partnership project and the Oasis Academy on the Isle of Sheppey is a finalist for both Intergenerational project and community involvement.
Tunbridge Wells: Two finalists for the partnership projects are Tunbridge Wells DFC Jive party and Tunbridge Wells Museum and art gallery and one finalist for the community involvement project The good neighbour Church project.
Sevenoaks: Hartley Memory café for the community involvement award.
Tonbridge and Malling: West Malling village walk is a finalist for the Community involvement award and Emma Boyd, who works at centra in Kings hill for the Kent volunteer award.
Shepway: Memory Makers run by the Folkestone volunteer centre for the Intergenerational project category.
Medway: Finalists for the Intergenerational project is kissing it better life story books, Barbara and John for the Medway volunteer award and Lorraine Brown for the inspiring person living with dementia award.
The Kent Dementia Action Alliance is holding an open exhibition afternoon on 17 November where displays of work from across the county will be shown in the Stone Hall at County Hall Maidstone. The award winners will be announced at a ceremony on the same day.
To find out more please contact Dementiafriendlykent@kent.gov.uk or call the Dementia Friendly team on 03000 415 483.