Dementia Action Week

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Mon 15 May 2023 - Sun 21 May 2023

A series of events have been planned to raise awareness about dementia as the Staffordshire town of Tamworth joins national Dementia Action Week . A packed week of events is taking place in the town from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 May, including coffee mornings, singing, and dementia awareness sessions. Medieval Tamworth Castle will also be honouring Dementia Action Week with the exterior lighting switched to blue for all seven days. Tamworth was granted Dementia Friendly Community status in 2018, which aims to help improve the lives of local people living with the mental disorder.

More than half of UK adults know someone who has been diagnosed with dementia. And the numbers of people with the disorder are expected to grow. Dementia Action week aims to raise awareness of dementia and the importance of early diagnosis. Activities taking place in Tamworth are being organised and co-ordinated by the Tamworth Dementia Friendly Communities Partnership, which involves various of stakeholders working together to raise awareness and improve services locally. The various events aim to either support people living with dementia, to help others understand what it is like for those living with the condition, or to raise money for vital equipment and services.



The week of events begins on Monday 15 May with a dementia awareness stall in Ankerside shopping centre in Tamworth town centre from 10am to 2pm. There will be a Dementia UK volunteer ambassador on hand to answer any questions. On Tuesday 16 May, the Memory Café at Sacred Heart Church will host a ‘market place’ where people can come and gather information and seek advice and support. The session runs from 10.30am-12.30pm. On the same day, Dementia Friends are holding a session in Ankerside from 10am -2pm, while the Alzheimer’s Society will run a stall in Morrisons supermarket at Wilnecote from 9am-12pm and in the town centre store from 2pm-5pm. From May 17 to 19 an Alzheimer’s stall will be available in Ankerside between 10am and 4pm.

Events then move to The Hub in Tamworth Castle Grounds on Thursday 18 with people invited to participate in a Singing for Fun session from 10.30am – 11.30am. An additional dementia and Alzheimer’s awareness-raising stall will be available on Saturday 20 May at Tamworth market, weather permitting. And dementia awareness services will be held at St John the Baptist Church from 6pm on Saturday 20 May and 10.30am on Sunday 21 May, and at Sacred Heart Church from 9am and 12 noon on Sunday 21 May.



Everyone is welcome to all the events and no pre-booking is required. Further details can be downloaded via the Dementia Friendly page of Tamworth Borough Council's website. Work is coordinated through the Tamworth Dementia Action Alliance, a growing partnership of businesses, community groups and organisations, working together to raise awareness and improve services. Alliance Chairman John Edwards said: “Every time a person becomes aware of the difficulties faced by those living with dementia and carers, life becomes easier for those affected. Tamworth can be rightly proud of the progress that has been made and the determination to do more in the future.”

For more information on becoming a Dementia Friend visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk or contact Tamworth Borough Council’s lead officer for Dementia Friendly Communities, Karen Clancy, on 01827 709565.


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