The Royal Town of Coldfield has  been awarded Dementia Friendly Community Status by the Alzheimer’s Society.

It follows a series of actions and events led by Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council, residents, representatives of community groups and orgainsations and support services – collectively known as the Dementia Friendly Communities Steering Group.

Established by Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council in 2019, the Dementia Friendly Communities Steering Group set out to take action to contribute towards the development of Dementia Friendly communities and has been instrumental in raising awareness about dementia in Sutton Coldfield.

The aim of Dementia Friendly Communities is to help people living with dementia, their families and carers, to feel supported, involved and safe in community life.

This includes raised awareness and understanding alongside improved services across all sectors.

Progress to date which has helped achieve the town’s Dementia Friendly accreditation includes:

• Establishment of the Sutton Coldfield Dementia Friendly Communities Steering Group – a partnership of stakeholders working together to improve the lives of local people with dementia;
• The Town Council registering with the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends programme to become a partner orgainsation with Councillors and Officers receiving training to become the Council’s Dementia Friend Staff Champions;
• Delivering training sessions with faith orgainsations and schools to learn more about dementia, how it affects people and what can be done to help people affected by dementia in our community;
• Work with both West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Police to promote and raise awareness amongst vulnerable adults including the Herbert Protocol initiative
• Putting on a number of workshops and events – memory cafes and coffee mornings;
• Engagement with Sutton Coldfield Library to ensure both fiction and non- fiction books that explain and explores dementia are available for adults and children.

In addition, The Town Council has worked with worked with Birmingham City Council’s Occupational Therapy team to establish a drop-in service in the town resulting in a monthly dementia friendly session in which a member of the Alzheimer’s Society is present to answer any questions.

A social media campaign also ran during Dementia Action Week (15 – 21 May 2023) to raise awareness and promote activities across the town.

Further information for residents and their families can be found here.

Earlier this week Cllr Tony Briggs, Mayor of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield congratulated members of the Sutton Coldfield Dementia Friendly Group for all their hard work and efforts in gaining the accreditation.