Dates for your diary: Buckingham Dementia Action Alliance

I sat down with Eileen Winston who chairs the Buckingham Dementia Action Alliance last week to help plan an event coming up soon. I am going to be chairing a panel discussion about building a dementia friendly town:

Wednesday 16th May

BDAA Open Meeting with speakers - topics on ways to improve quality of life for people living with dementia

Tea & coffee 6pm.  Meeting 6.30pm
Venue:  Buckingham Library

This is one of three events that Eileen and her colleagues have planned with assistance from our great library team:

Tuesday 15th May

Dementia Information Event 10am to 1pm - support and guidance available for people living with dementia and carers;  information on dementia for the general public

Also 12 noon to 1pm a Dementia Friends session
Venue:  Buckingham Library

Thursday 17th May

Human Story Theatre - 'Connie's Colander' by Gaye Poole
Tea & coffee 6.30pm.  Performance 7pm. Free
Venue:  Buckingham Library. 

I will be attending all three. Last year I went along to a Dementia Friends workshop and frankly, it changed my life. My Mum has memory problems these days and the workshop put many things into perspective.

The play 'Connie's Colander' comes highly recommended and praised. Sincerely, if there is someone in your life (including you) that has some memory issues, this is a play for you!

And do pop in on the Tuesday too, there will be many helpful organisations there to point you in various directions - even bigger and better than last year.

But back to the meeting on the Wednesday: the speakers include

• Professor Marion Lynch will be speaking on 'How the Arts can improve dementia care.
• William Bennet-Lunch will speak on 'Dementia Friendly Grandchildren.
• A person with dementia will speak on what it is like to have dementia and take questions from the audience.

There will be lots of audience participation with a particular focus on what more can be done on our streets and roads and in the town centre towards helping people living with dementia or caring for someone who does. Do come along!