Dementia friendly sessions in support of national action week set to take place at Havant’s arts and heritage centre

The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre will be supporting this month’s Dementia Action Week from May 16 to 18.

Activities will include 60-minute Dementia Power Hour sessions, set to take place at 10am and 5.30pm on May 17.

Led by dementia expert Nikki Shepherd from the Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network, these free sessions are open to everyone to help increase an understanding and awareness of dementia.

There will also be an opportunity to pop into the café on May 17 for a free and relaxed morning session with Jane Ward of Dementia Friendly Hampshire.

This will be open to anyone looking for informal advice, signposting to support services, or just an understanding chat.

On May 18, The Spring will be holding its Creative Memory Café as a special family and friends session.

The free session will be led by artist Polly Beestone, who will facilitate a range of gentle and creative activities with a focus on reminiscing and sharing memories.

The centre will also host its ‘Forget-Me-Not’ cinema screenings, featuring a range of dementia friendly films shown in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.

In addition, film screenings and post-show chats will directly explore the topic of dementia.

Films being shown include The Young Ones, The Notebook and Falling.

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The Notebook will be introduced by the Mayor of Havant, cllr Rosy Raines, and will be followed by a Q&A session with an expert panel including Mark Gettinby from Home Instead, Jane Ward from Dementia Friendly Hampshire and Nikki Shepherd of the NHS.

Sophie Fullerlove, chief executive and director of The Spring, said: ‘We want The Spring to be a place everybody feels welcome and it’s a privilege to be able to run our specialised dementia programme.

‘We hope this offers engaging activities that help to foster connections and a sense of belonging for those living with dementia as well as providing invaluable support and advice for families and friends.’

The programme is being supported by Home Instead, Dementia Friendly Havant and Havant Rotary.