Alzheimer's Society and Yeo Valley Lions
Yeo Valley Lions is involved with three groups associated with Alzheimer's:Yatton Coffee MorningThis is an informal, volunteer run, drop-in group, recognised by Alzheimer's Society. It's funded by Yeo Valley Lions and meets in Yatton Youth Club in Rock Road on the last Tuesday in the month, from 10.30 until Noon.Information and Activities HubThis group is run by the Alzheimer's Society and funded by Yeo Valley Lions (except for staff costs), with some volunteer input. It provides information to those living with dementia and also has a programme of activities (which the group members put forward). It now meets in Yatton Youth Club on the first Tuesday of the month, from 10am until Noon.Singing for the Brain ProjectThe Singing for the Brain project is run by the Alzheimer's Society under contract with Yeo Valley Lions. We're currently in year four of a five-year project. It's financed by Yeo Valley Lions who also supply some volunteer support. Sessions are held fortnightly on Thursdays (currently from 23 March 2023) in the Old School Rooms in Congresbury. Refreshments are available from 2pm, with singing from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.History of our involvement with the Alzheimer's SocietyHaving had a Dementia Friends presentation, Yeo Valley Lions Club officially became a Dementia Friendly Organisation on 9 May 2017. This involved developing an Action Plan and implementing it. The Wrington Hub/Café started life on Tuesday 4 July 2017 and thereafter met on the first Tuesday of the month at the Reading Room in Wrington. It provided a mixture of information and activity sessions – providing support for families living with Dementia with information and appropriate activities to stimulate the brain. The Group now formulates its own programme, which has included safety in the home (including IT scams), painting with watercolours, greeting card making, story telling, talks (eg by Weston Museum) and Cognitive Workbooks etc.The Yatton Coffee Morning is an informal drop-in group, volunteer run, which formerly met at Heathers Café. This venue became unsuitable as the group grew and the Café became very busy. Yeo Valley Lions offered support and arranged for the group to meet in Yatton Youth Club. More suitable chairs for the more mature clientele were purchased by Lions. This new venue opened in January 2019 and caters for people living with dementia and some ex-carers There is no formal support from Alzheimer's in running the Group, but they do recognise it and occasionally attend meetings. The Group meets on the last Tuesday of the month 10.30am until Noon.The major five year Project "Singing for the Brain" involved financial support from Yeo Valley Lions with several Lions and partners signing up as volunteers. This is a five year contract (more details available). The first session took place on 31 January 2020 in the Memorial Hall, Wrington. The Plan was for fortnightly sessions initially with progress towards weekly sessions, as membership increased, with sessions being held in Yatton as well as Wrington. The aim was to get a maximum of 40 members. Within a few weeks. Capacity was reached with 37 registered members.THEN COVID STRUCK!All group activity had to cease. The Hub and the Coffee Morning stopped. Singing for the Brain, however, went online via ZOOM and Yeo Valley Lions continued to support it. Three groups came together (Wrington, Clevedon and Weston) for weekly sessions. These sessions were well "attended" but did not suit everyone. Face to face Singing for the Brain sessions restarted on 9 September 2021, but with significant restrictions (social distancing, masks, no refreshments etc. Attendance at these group meetings was poor and did not change significantly when conditions were relaxed. A major issue was restoring confidence. During early 2022 it was obvious that we were just not getting the required numbers for Singing for the Brain or for the Wrington Hub (which restarted in February 2022 in the Wrington Sports and Social Club). Singing for the Brain Groups in Clevedon and Weston had been more successful in getting numbers up. Yeo Valley Lions supported the Alzheimer's Society's moving Singing for the Brain sessions to the Old School Rooms in Congresbury, which they did on 6 October 2022. This saw an immediate increase in numbers (fivefold) almost reaching pre-pandemic levels. Based on the success of moving Singing for the Brain sessions, the Information and Activities Hub Café moved from Wrington to Yatton Youth Club on 7 February 2023 and numbers have increased as a result.The Yatton Coffee Morning resumed on 26 October 2021 at Yatton Youth Club and numbers are around where they were pre-pandemic. There have been some new members too. We are in a period of consolidation now and looking to increase numbers.Two things will not change:
For further information please contact John Oldham, email: johnoldham45@gmail.com |
| If you would like further information on the Alzheimers' Society, call Alison Heath on 0300 1234589. |
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Alzheimer's Society is a registered charity in England and Wales (296645) and the Isle of Man (1128). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2115499. Isle of Man company number 5730F. Registered office: 43-44 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE |
