Gunwharf Quays to work with charity to become dementia-friendly

Gunwharf Quays and dementia service Remind are hoping to help Portsmouth achieve a Dementia Friendly status.

Employees from Remind will be offering sessions with retailers from the outlet centre to help them improve staff awareness and understanding of dementia.

The sessions will also help the stores learn how their physical environment can be improved.

Colin Wilding, general manager at Gunwharf Quays, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with Remind to support Portsmouth in achieving Dementia Friendly status.

‘More than 2,000 people work at Gunwharf Quays and we will be providing them all with the opportunity to receive specialist training through our academy.

‘We are dedicated to offering great service and constantly strive to understand how our guest experience can be improved for everyone.’

Research from the Alzheimer’s Society shows 80 per cent of people with dementia like to go shopping. But 63 per cent of people surveyed did not think shops were doing enough for people with the condition.

Sarita Chavda, service manager for Remind, said: ‘We are really excited to be working with Gunwharf Quays to support people with dementia.

‘We encourage businesses to join us at our dementia friendly sessions and learn more about how they can create a good shopping experience for people with dementia.

‘We hope these sessions will give retailers the opportunity to see how they can be more welcoming to people with dementia.’

Remind supports people who have been diagnosed with dementia and live in the PO1 to PO6 area or have a GP within PO1 to PO6.

The service is delivered in partnership by Solent Mind, SCA Group and The Rowans Hospice.

It is funded by Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group.

Businesses can book their place at the dementia friendly sessions by phoning Sarita Chavda on 033 0332 4030.