Are you making a difference for people living with dementia in Kent? We want to recognise your work (or the work of someone you may know) at the 2023 Dementia Friendly Kent Awards.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Kent County Showground on 19 May 2023 as part of a large-scale Kent Dementia Showcase event which will be open both to the public and professionals.
The Dementia Friendly Kent Awards have been running since 2014 and are organised by the Kent Dementia Action Alliance in association with Kent County Council and, from this year, the NHS.
Previous award winners have included a wide array of individuals and organisations across the county. Recognition has been given to the National Trust’s flagship property Knole for supporting visitors living with dementia; Castle Cars’ taxi drivers in Tonbridge were awarded for their dementia-friendly practices; Co-Op’s Sandwich store’s dementia customer care was judged to be second-to-none; and students at the Oasis Academy were celebrated for their warm welcome to local residents living with dementia on the Isle of Sheppey.
Oasis Academy’s Head of Community Hub, Paul Murray, said: “Winning a Dementia Friendly Kent award meant so much to our students. They love what they do and being recognised for this is such a bonus for them.”
All of the awards are judged by people affected by dementia. 
Kent County Council Leader, Roger Gough said: “I am really looking forward to hearing about all the wonderful work being undertaken by so many across the county to improve the lives of those affected by dementia. This includes not only the work of colleagues working in health and social care but from across the wider community. Much work continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and this will be a great opportunity to celebrate those particular initiatives too.”
Dr Afifa Qazi is the Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Psychiatrist at Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT). She was the award winner of the “Psychiatrist of the Year” for 2022, awarded by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, for leading the work across KMPT services to transform dementia care in Kent & Medway. Afifi said: “Dementia Action Alliance works hard to create dementia friendly communities which should be a top priority for everyone across the county to participate in. We need every resident to have a greater understanding of dementia which is the leading cause of death in the UK and currently affects an estimated 24,609 residents in Kent and Medway.
“Initiatives such as the annual Dementia Friendly Kent Awards can play an important role in raising awareness about the condition as well as celebrating some fantastic initiatives in the county to support people with dementia and their loved ones.”
However small or large, every action is helping us build a more dementia friendly county so let us know about your great work! To take part, complete a simple nomination form at www.kent.gov.uk/dementiafriendlyawards
Deadline for entries is 31st January 2023.
Notes to newsdesks:
Dementia Action Alliance brings together partners from across public, private and voluntary sectors and people living with dementia to raise awareness about the condition to help make our communities more dementia friendly.
The Dementia Friendly Kent Awards celebrate the great work being done each year by organisations and individuals to achieve this shared goal.
Kent Dementia Action Alliance chair contact: alison.carter24@nhs.net