The Four Rivers Dementia Alliance is a group of town and parish councils in South West Devon, and other interested organisations working together, to promote dementia friendly communities.
The Parish Councils are Bickleigh, Shaugh Prior, Cornwood, Sparkwell, Harford, South Brent, Rattery, Diptford, North Huish, Ringmore, Ugborough, Modbury, Kingston, Ermington, Yealmpton, Brixton, Holbeton, Newton & Noss, Wembury, including Ivybridge Town Council.
July - A Multitude Of Tasks In Hand And Ongoing
31/7/2025
During July, I have been working on a few different things:
• Following on from attending Kingston’s parish council meeting in June, I returned to the village to carry out a dementia friendly building assessment of the reading room, with one of the committee members (21/07/25). My written report has been discussed with the other committee members and they plan to implement as much as is practicable.
• I attended the Global Plymouth Launch Event for Phase 2 at the University of Plymouth (16.07.25) with my information stand. The event was about bringing together the commercial and third sector. I did not get the opportunity to speak as planned but nonetheless, the event was a great opportunity to network with other organisations present and let them know about the work of both 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm.
• I attended the South Hams District Caring Alliance meeting at Follaton House, Totnes (23/07/25) and gave an update about the work of 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm. Again, it presented the chance to start forming connections with a few of the great variety of organisations that were present.
• I attended the Yealmpton Show (30.07.25) with my Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm colleagues. Our information stand also included 4RDA information as the show always attracts a lot of footfall so is a terrific opportunity to promote the dementia friendly approach.
• I contacted a variety of parish/village magazines and newsletters across the 4RDA area to request writing an article about the work of 4RDA and a Dementia Friendly Parishes, to raise awareness and hopefully encourage some more people to get involved in 4RDA. I submitted an article to Kingston Parish Newsletter (Due to be published in the August edition) and one to Ugborough Parish News (Due to be published in the September edition).
• The “working towards becoming dementia friendly” information packs I drafted for schools and for retailers are currently both being edited and they will then go to print in early August.
Other things in the pipeline are:
• My work on writing an information pack for GP practices has started and will continue throughout next month.
• I will be meeting with the councillor who has recently become the designated lead for dementia friendly work at Shaugh Prior parish council (04/08/25) to discuss how they would like to make a start on working towards becoming dementia friendly.
• I will be returning to South Brent District & Caring to deliver another awareness session to more of their volunteer team (04/08/25). This session will also be open to the public.
• I will be submitting articles about the work of 4RDA and Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm to Ugborough Parish News and Modbury Messenger for their September editions and Bigbury & Ringmore News for their October/November edition.
