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.
April 2026 - Exciting First Steps Have Been Happening In Different Areas This Month!
1/5/2026
Exciting first steps on the dementia friendly journey have been happening in different areas this month!
• Across April, I have continued visiting businesses in Ivybridge with Councillor Crystal Cao (Ivybridge Town Council designated dementia friendly lead) to make them aware of the work being done to make Ivybridge a dementia friendly community, leaving them the introductory letter and revisiting some of them to offer support to become dementia friendly. We will continue to do this until we have seen all of them. We are now starting to plan the first wave of awareness sessions and dementia friendly premises assessments to be offered.
• I started facilitating the new carer’s support group at Tumbly Hill Wellbeing Hub in Kingsbridge (21/04/26). I’ll be co facilitating this once a fortnight with Suzi Garrod (CEO and Dementia and Palliative Care Lead) for the first 6 months.
• I delivered a dementia awareness session to a group of Tumbly Hill Wellbeing volunteers (21/04/26).
• I carried out a village signage audit with two councillors who are part of Modbury Parish Council’s Community Engagement Committee meeting (27/04/26). I will be subsequently typing up a report for them with recommendations.
• I attended the 4RDA AGM (28/04/26) at Ivybridge Rugby Club and reported on what I have been working on over the past year.
A few other things in the pipeline are:
• I will continue visiting businesses in Ivybridge with Cllr Crystal Cao (This will be an ongoing piece of work for a while), delivering dementia awareness sessions and dementia friendly premises assessments etc.
• The work at Tumbly Hill in Kingsbridge will be ongoing.
• I will continue to support Ermington and Modbury (and any other parish council that wishes to move forward with becoming dementia friendly).
• I will continue writing dementia friendly information guides for different sectors (The Care Guide is in progress).
Partnership With Tumbly Hill - Next Steps Together
