Welcome to the Four Rivers Dementia Alliance - an information hub

February 2026 - February May Be The Shortest Month Of The Year But It Has Been A Busy One!

2/3/2026

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

• I met with Councillor Margaret Grafton (Ermington Parish Council) to conduct a village signage audit (09/02/26) and subsequently compiled a report with recommendations on how to make the signage dementia friendly. Cllr Grafton will discuss the report with her fellow councillors at their March parish council meeting.

• I met with Councillor Crystal Cao (Ivybridge Town Council) to share the newly printed dementia friendly introduction letters and discuss an initial plan of approaching the businesses in the town (09/02/26). This so far resulted in Cllr Cao and I visiting the first group of businesses (16/02/26) to make them aware of the work being done to make Ivybridge a dementia friendly community, leaving them the introductory letter with a plan to revisit again shortly to gauge their interest and offer support to become dementia friendly. We will do this a number of times until we have visited all of the businesses and will then meet to plan next steps.

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

• I met with Suzi Garrod (Chief Executive and Dementia and Palliative Care Lead, Tumbly Hill Wellbeing Hub in Kingsbridge) again to discuss a provisional plan re: support that 4RDA could give with their forthcoming carer’s support group and other planned dementia services (16/02/26).

• The 4RDA “working to become dementia friendly” window stickers I previously began working on designing have now been printed. So, these are now ready to be offered to organisations and businesses when they start to take tangible actions towards becoming dementia friendly. The certificates are also in the process of being printed.

• I wrote a mini dementia friendly guide for estate agents wishing to become dementia friendly. Also, the guide I wrote for GP practices has been edited and will be going to print shortly.

A few other things in the pipeline are:

• I am booked to attend Modbury Parish Council’s Community Engagement Committee meeting (10/03/26) to discuss ways of starting to work on making Modbury more dementia friendly.

• I have been invited to give a talk about the work of 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm at a social evening for staff and drivers of the Ivybridge and District Community Transport Association (Ring and Ride). This will be taking place on (18/03/26).

• I will be attending the next Erme & Yealm Caring Alliance meeting (18/03/26) and will give an update on the work of 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm.

• I will continue to work on drafting an information pack for the care sector.

Tumbly Hill - Next Steps Together