Dementia Charity launches the Eastbourne Dementia Inclusive Community Charter
The Eastbourne Dementia Action Alliance (EDAA) has launched the Eastbourne Dementia Inclusive Community Charter which aims to make Eastbourne and the surrounding area a place where people living with dementia and their family, friends and/or carers can live their lives in the way they wish to live.
We are asking businesses and other organisations to demonstrate their commitment to achieving this goal and thereby become more responsive to the needs of the dementia community. Our Charter scheme will seek to forge working relationships that will raise awareness of dementia issues at the same time as enabling those affected by the condition to have a say in how services are run and where new ones are required.
Jennifer Twist, Chief Executive Officer at Care for the Carers, said: “Dementia can be scary, challenging, devastating and isolating, no one should be alone in tackling dementia. It is so important that we all work together to make a real difference. By raising awareness, increasing understanding and providing effective support we can build a dementia friendly community. Carers for the Carers welcomes the opportunity to be a part of the Eastbourne Dementia Inclusive Community Charter and making positive change happen.”
The new charter is also being backed by Suzanne Procter, Principal at Dementia Support East Sussex. She said: “As we all know, the numbers are increasing so the more informed we are the better we will be at dealing with it. Being able to discuss and support each other in the partnership will be vital in helping all those in our community living with this cruel condition.”
The input of the local dementia peer support group, Sea DEEP, has been and will continue to be invaluable to achieving this aim because of the expert advice they are able to provide. The Charter scheme has come about from their suggestions on to how to make Eastbourne more inclusive for people living with dementia.
Stephen Lloyd, EDAA Trustee and former MP for Eastbourne said “Dementia and its impact across families affects thousands of people throughout Eastbourne and its surrounds. They and their families shop, use local services and spend money in Eastbourne, so I believe it is crucial for retail and service providers to learn how best to serve those affected. I welcome those who’ve already signed the EDAA Charter. I’d urge others to join them.”
Other organisations that have so far signed up to the Charter are: Memory Lane-Eastbourne, The Ivy Dementia Centre, Eastbourne Access Group, Music for the Memory, the Association of Carers, Driving Miss Daisy Eastbourne, Mortain Place Care Home and Age UK East Sussex.
We are grateful to the Sussex Community Fund and the Aviva Community Fund (partnered with Crowd Funder) for their generous financial support without which we wouldn't have been able to take this project forward.
