New dementia-friendly café to open at Bamford Chapel

A new dementia-friendly café will open at Bamford Chapel in December.

Several people in the church family at Bamford Chapel & Norden URC have had personal experience of caring for people living with dementia, who would have loved to visit a local venue with a welcoming atmosphere where they knew their relative would be safe and find understanding.

The Chapel has had two courses enabling people to become ‘Dementia Friends’. This prompted the church to think about providing a safe place for our local community and opening a dementia-friendly café.

A team member from Bamford Chapel & Norden URC said: “We hope this meeting place will help three sets of people.

“Firstly, the person living with dementia finds stimulation through the activities we provide and friendship with the volunteers who chat and laugh and learn with them.

“Secondly, the ‘carer’ who comes with their relative/friend has the opportunity over tea and homemade cake to relax, socialise and share their experiences with other carers and build a support network and there will be information will be available for them.

“Thirdly, all the volunteers will gain understanding and be able to offer dementia-friendly support in the wider community. We have 30 volunteers many of whom will help on a rota basis.

“When people come to the café they can expect a bright, light, comfy setting; our church has been recently renovated and the atmosphere is welcoming.”

Each session at the dementia-friendly café will follow the same pattern:

• there will be suitable games, jigsaws, puzzles, books and newspapers.
• there will be different craft activities for the season.
• we will use ‘Memory Boxes’ and show DVDs of bygone days.
• we will invite various therapists to offer exercises, massage and advice. 
• we will have guests to provide entertainment; in December it will be the choir from St Michael’s Primary School.
• each session will end with singing together.

“Our café will be a place of love and laughter and we offer a warm welcome to everyone who is looking for a place where they will be accepted and supported with fun, friendship, activities and refreshments.”

The café will be on the first Friday in the month 1.30pm to 3.30pm, the launch date is 7 December, then the next meeting is Friday 4 January 2019, at Bamford Chapel & Norden United Reformed Church, Norden Road, Rochdale, OL11 5PQ.

The venue is accessible, has disabled facilities and ample parking.

Contact Lyn Jefferies on 07387 272 288 if you need more information.