Steve Kendall has worked in economic and community development in Local Councils across the UK for 34 years. His work has directly influenced investment decisions that have helped crate over 9,000 joins and attracted almost £100 million in Government Grants and Area Support. Steve's current work in Leicester centres on the Dementia Cafe. The Dementia Cafe was born in 2011 out of recognition of a need for newly diagnosed people and their families to have a chance for 'coffee, cake, and conversation'. They cafe set up with little funding and continue to receive no funding from statutory organsiations. Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) was delighted that Steve held a workshop for local Leicester and Leicestershire VCS organsiations as part of our 2013 Future Focus conference. Steve's workshop covered the story of the Dementia Cafe and their future, looked at what they view as the key points to their success, and discussed how these key tips might apply to other organisations. While the 2013 Future Focus conference is now over, VAL runs trainings and workshops like Steve's year-round. If you'd like to learn more about training for your organisation, visit www.Valoneline.org.uk.

1. Supporting the
Vulnerable in Society
Dementia café
Market Harborough
September 2013

2. How we started
 Father diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease two and
half years ago
 88 years old with an 82 year old partner who is caring
for Dad
 Living independently in Kibworth (partner in Leicester)
 Carer ‘burn-out’ evident
 Social isolation increasing by the week

3. What we did
 Spoke to career groups, other carers and agencies
 Identified the need for a place where:
 carer and cared for could both attend
 people could begin to address their crushing isolation
and socialise
 people can share experiences and provide emotional
support
 expert professionals and support workers can provide
advice

4. Research
 NHS own figures suggest 60 % of Dementia is under
diagnosed by GP’s
 In 2009 5% of County Population 600,000 diagnosed
with dementia – nearly 9% if under diagnosis is taken
into account
 Harborough has highest proportion of 65+ age group
in County
 Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) estimates that
by 2025 10-15% of population will suffer from some
form of dementia

5. Identification of Need
 What carers need in the early stages is somewhere
where they can go with cared for:
 Must be safe
 Should be fun
 Provides social interaction for carers and cared for
 Provides information and support from people in the
same situation

6. Identification of Need
 No one organisation was supporting both carer and
cared for
 Most organisations providing the environments
required were focused on the carers, not the cared for
 What was required was a Dementia Café!

7. Where Next?
 All the larger charities had fixed shape of provision –
not really working for carer and cared for together
 Reduction in funding from Local Authorities – no
funding available for new initiatives
 Carried out consultation with all stakeholders
 Gained support from service users and health
professionals
 Developed a plan for the Dementia Cafe

8. How did we start?
 Volunteers funded 3 month trial in Settling Rooms
Coffee Bar – based on 2 hour café per month
 Massive press and publicity campaign
 Worked closely with Community Mental Health Team
and Age UK to develop local model of cafe

9. First Steps
 By month 3 over 25 couples/family members were
attending
 In March 2011 Steering Group formed
 In April 2011 Group registered as a small charity

10. Where are we now
 190 members 35-45 regularly attending
 Relocated to bigger hall, with better facilities
 Have developed relationship with Harborough Rotary,
Round Table, Lions, Sainsbury Supermarkets Robert
Smyth Academy based on partnership not just asking
for money
 Developed a Members Resources Bank of books,
information and materials. Working with Round table to
deliver memory workshops at future café meetings.

11. Where we are now
 Introduced Singing for the Memory Group in Sept 2012 as a
‘subsidiary’ activity of the café. 35-50 attending
 Expanding café concept in Partnership with The Well in Kibworth
in July 2013
 Developed Dementia café Website in February 2013
 Working with Schools on dementia awareness for 14-16 year olds
 Are being invited to represent the ‘Dementia Community’ at
Countywide and Regional gatherings
 New piece of research by Gulbenkian Foundation identified the
café as an exemplar of partnership with the private sector

12. What have we learned
 Research pays off
 Identify the organisations that might best be a partner
 Be clear
 Don’t just ‘ask for money’ or ‘support’
 Potential funders want to finance something individual – not
‘running costs’
 Always be prepared to spend a disproportionate amount of
time filling in applications for funds – but target them!

13. Critical Success Factors
 An idea that people wanted
 Infrastructure support
 An ability to seize an opportunity (eg Sainsbury’s funding,
Round Table interest in Resource Materials)
 A clear plan, with identified, costed-out developments of the
service
 Identifying Community Mental Health Teams as our key
partner. They give credibility to what we are doing

14. The Future
 Consolidation of the range of services – more work in
schools, possible network of Independent Dementia café
organisations
 Develop Trustees group to include younger members with
particular skills
 Improve our relationship with new Health Service bodies
(CCG’s & CMHT)
 Continue with a high profile press and promotion
 Registration as a ‘full’ charity
 Continue to raise funds to meet the needs of those with
early stage Dementia

15. Key Messages
 Have ambition; have vision; have energy and put them
to work
 Three years ago there was nothing in Harborough
District where those with dementia and their carers
could go – Now there is something on every week of
every month throughout the year.