Wonderful East Hampshire Dementia Festival delivers support for people living with dementia
Information, guidance and support combine to make the fourth East Hampshire Dementia Festival a huge success
Hundreds of local people discovered the breadth of support available for those living with dementia at a special event held on Friday 4 October 2024.
The East Hampshire Dementia Festival, run by EHDC and Petersfield Dementia Friendly, played host to services, support groups, charities and organisations that can help people living with the condition.
Held at Petersfield Festival Hall, the event showcased more than 30 groups running information stands, crafts and activities, as well as presentations from legal and medical experts.
East Hampshire MP, Damian Hinds, opened the festival, commending the role of the volunteers and the value they bring to the district. Acknowledging that without their effort, the festival could not take place.
The ground-breaking Dementia Bus featured a virtual experience of what it might be like to have the syndrome, and uplifting performances from the Petersfield Dementia Choir were enjoyed by all.
Audrey Morton, of Dementia Friendly Petersfield, said: “Local groups show us there are ways you can keep your mind and body active, and slow down the effects of dementia.
“The Dementia Festival is a great way for people with dementia and their families to take stock of the help that’s out there and find out what they can do to make sure they live well with dementia."
EHDC Cllr Adeel Shah, Portfolio Holder for Community Development and Engagement, said: “This is such an important event for people and provides so much help where it is really needed.
“Welfare and support to our most vulnerable residents is one of EHDC’s top priorities and you can see the benefits an event like this brings to people.
“There is so much help and support for those with dementia and their families, but often people don’t know where to get it. It’s truly wonderful to get everything under one roof.
“We have helped to fund the event and our officers have been instrumental in running it, a big thank you to everyone who took part on the day and who continue to push forward the issues associated with dementia.”
Dementia Directory
After the festival people can continue to get support by using the Dementia Directory – a handbook to help people when they are first diagnosed with the disease.
It is a brilliant step-by-step guide that takes you through the process of dealing with a diagnosis, listing all of the support services and agencies that are out there to help.
A tribute to Jeff Williams
This year's Dementia Festival was dedicated to dementia champion Jeff Williams, who came up with the idea for a dementia festival originally. Sadly, Jeff passed away shortly after last year's festival in 2023, but his legacy continues.
Jeff worked tirelessly to improve the awareness, support and information for anyone living with dementia, their families, friends and carers in the local area.
Pictures and videos from the event
Dementia is a growing issue in East Hampshire and across the country. Around 982,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK. This is predicted to rise to over 1.4 million by 2040.