Welcome to the Four Rivers Dementia Alliance - an information hub

January 2026 - Meetings, Strategies, Publications and Support

30/1/2026

• I met with Liz Hitchins (4RDA Chair) and Steven Parker Davidson (4RDA Treasurer) to discuss potential support that could be offered to Tumbly Hill Wellbeing Hub in Kingsbridge (09/01/26).

• The final edit of the dementia friendly guide I wrote for retailers was completed and copies have now been printed. (See the Useful Documents section in the Support Organisations webpage for a PDF copy). The dementia friendly guide I have written for GP practices is currently in the editing process before it goes to print.

• I have continued work on drafting an information pack for the care sector.

• I was booked to attend Modbury Parish Council’s Community Engagement Committee meeting (13/01/26) to discuss ways of starting to work on making Modbury more dementia friendly but the meeting was cancelled due to illness and I was unable to attend the rescheduled meeting held a few days later. I am booked to attend the next meeting (10/03/26).

• I gave a presentation on supporting people living with dementia at the University of Plymouth's - Dementia Voices - Raising Awareness Of Dementia event (22/01/26) in the Foulston Room, the Box Plymouth. These ongoing events are design to raise awareness of dementia in our communities.

• I attended the South Hams Dementia Forum meeting (28/01/26) and discussed action plans for town and parish councils and potential different ways of running the forum with the rest of the group.

• Liz, Steven and I met with Suzi Garrod (Chief Executive and Dementia and Palliative Care Lead, Tumbly Hill Wellbeing Hub in Kingsbridge) to agree support that 4RDA could give with their emerging dementia services (28/01/26) and I drafted risk assessments for the forthcoming memory café and carer’s support groups that will be running there soon.

• I started work on drafting a 4RDA “working to become dementia friendly” window sticker and certificate design that can be offered to organisations and businesses that take tangible actions towards becoming dementia friendly.

A few other things in the pipeline are:

• I have arranged with Ermington Parish Council to support with conducting a village signage audit (09/02/26) and will also discuss holding a community dementia awareness session there soon.

• I have got back in touch with Ivybridge Town Council re: a dementia friendly introduction letter that they drafted (which 4RDA edited and have now had printed). The plan is for them to deliver the letter to businesses in the town and for this to then be followed up by myself and their dementia friendly lead councillor with a visit to the businesses to offer support and the retailer’s guide, to encourage them to work towards becoming dementia friendly. I am currently waiting to hear back re: arranging to meet to discuss and make arrangements for this.

• I will be attending a meeting of the Dementia Support South Devon forum for the first time (02/02/25) and will give an update on the work of 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes around the Yealm.

• I will be attending the next South Hams District Alliance meeting (11/02/26) and will give an update about the work of both 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes around the Yealm.