Harrogate-based charity Dementia Forward wins top national health award

Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, Dementia Forward was chosen from more than 350 charities across the United Kingdom as one of the ten winners of the 2022 GSK IMPACT Awards.

Now in their 25th year, the awards are designed to recognise the outstanding work of small and medium-sized charities, working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK.

This year, winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by leading health and care charity The King’s Fund.

A diagnosis of dementia can be difficult to obtain and there are estimated to be 10,000 people living with dementia in North Yorkshire, but only slightly more than half (5,845) have received a diagnosis.

That falls short of the government target of 67 per cent of people living with dementia receiving a diagnosis.

Dementia Forward offers information, advice and wellbeing activities to nearly 6,000 local people living with dementia and their families.

The charity actively engages with local health services to improve rates of dementia diagnosis in North Yorkshire.

It also offers activity sessions specifically for people with severe dementia and targeted support for people under 65 with young onset dementia.

Commenting on the award, Jill Quinn, from Dementia Forward, said: ‘There are many reasons for Dementia Forward to celebrate receiving this prestigious award.

"Dementia Forward is in its 10th year and the mission to provide a local for local approach to dementia support has never faltered.

"We believed that we had hit on a really successful model but to pass this stringent assessment of our charity and its work has cemented this for us.

"The leadership development comes at just the right time as we are going through a period of growth in our charity and the expert support from The King’s Fund will be of huge value.

"It has inspired and motivated our staff, Trustees and volunteers to continue to grow and develop our services that are so needed for people living with dementia.

"We are proud and excited to share this news with everyone who has supported us over the past ten years."

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The judges were particularly impressed by Dementia Forward’s creative and agile response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed it to continue providing emotional support through its helpline and welfare calls made by its dementia support advisers, as well as social activities across North Yorkshire during lockdown.

This included running Zoom ‘cafes’ and online singing sessions, introducing ‘bubble walks’ and running online sessions for people with young-onset dementia.

In an effort to reduce social isolation, its team of volunteers delivered 80 ‘cafes in a box’ (a box of tea, biscuits, activities and a personalised card) and 60 life-sized, robotic cats which moved and purred in response to being stroked.

Since last year, Dementia Forward has employed six dementia care co-ordinators based within local GP practices, who proactively seek out people who may have slipped through the net and then support them to get a diagnosis.

This has helped to simplify the diagnosis process and increased referrals to the charity and comes at a time post-Covid-19 when waiting lists for diagnosis are at their highest.

The charity was also instrumental in developing the North Yorkshire County Dementia Strategy and is currently a key partner producing a Dementia Strategy for York.

Lisa Weaks, Assistant Director, Leadership and Organisational Development, at The King’s Fund: ‘Dementia Forward delivers a unique range of advice and wellbeing services built on a very strong understanding of the needs of people with dementia, supported by an impressive base of 200 volunteers.

"It also fills a clear need for specialist services for young-onset dementia and people with severe dementia.

"The charity is embedded in the local community, engaging and working with local health and social care services and GPs, the council, housing organisations and other charities to increase the reach and impact of its work across North Yorkshire.

"We were also impressed by its creative approach to adapting its services in order to continue providing social interaction and support through the pandemic."

The 2022 GSK IMPACT Award recognises Dementia Forward’s significant impact on improving the health and mental wellbeing of people living with dementia in North Yorkshire.

Developing leaders in the charity sector is a key aim of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme and all winners are invited to build on their success and take part in a tailored leadership development programme run by The King’s Fund.

Dementia Forward will also be invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of more than 110 previous award winners who work together to develop leaders, find new ways of working and provide mutual support.

For more information about Dementia Forward, visit www.dementiaforward.org.uk

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