On January 10, 2022, health and social care students at New College Durham are launching a memory café for members of the local community.
After completing the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends training, several of the Year 1 Level 3 Health and Social Care students decided they would like to put what they had learnt into practice so came up with the idea of hosting a memory café.
The café will provide a relaxed setting for people who are experiencing mild cognitive impairment or dementia to socialise, learn from other people in similar situations and enjoy a range of activities. Caregivers are welcome to come along too and share the experience. The café will take place on the second Monday of every month from 3pm and 5pm. Students will meet and greet visitors at the main entrance of New College Durham and escort them to the college’s onsite restaurant, Bistro 1891. Attendance is free and refreshments are provided.
Students Jessica Rayner, Brooke Dawson and Jodie Shelley were instrumental in setting up the café.
Jessica said: “We came up with the idea of the memory café as we wanted to bring people together and try and help make a difference to their lives. We have been working hard to organise the café and plan a range of activities.”
Brooke added: “As well as helping people, running the café will give us experience of communicating with different people.”
Jodie agreed. She said: “I want to be a Social Worker so working with people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia will help me in my future career.”
Denise Winter, Health & Social Care Lecturer at New College Durham, is facilitating the students in the running of the café. She said: “I was delighted when the students said they wanted to set up the café. The Alzheimer’s Society training had a big impact on them, and they wanted to use their new skills to help make a difference. As a college we strive to be a part of the wider community, so we look forward to welcoming local residents and hope we can provide a service that they will benefit from and enjoy.”
Anyone who would like to attend the café can drop into New College Durham, Framwellgate Moor on the second Monday of the month between 3pm and 5pm. For further information contact Denise Winter at denise.winter@newdur.ac.uk