Making Keynsham and Saltford dementia friendly

Keynsham DAA – Who are we?

Keynsham Dementia Action Alliance is a group located in Keynsham and is registered with the Alzheimer’s Society. It has been established with a view to making Keynsham and Saltford dementia friendly. The term “dementia” describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem solving or language. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or a series of strokes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia but not all dementia is due to Alzheimer’s.

If you would like to find out more about dementia and local support, there is more information available. Just click here.

For more information concerning our Alzheimer’s Society registration click here.

It is estimated that there were over 800,000 people in the UK who are affected by dementia in 2015.There has been a 56% rise in numbers between 2010/11 and 2015/16. For Dementia statistics in UK click here.

It can reasonably be estimated that Keynsham and Saltford together will have some 1000 inhabitants who will be affected by dementia between now and 2030. An upward trend is expected to continue in the next decade.

For more information about dementia please access the Alzheimer’s Society website click here

Our Plan

The Keynsham Dementia Action Alliance was formed in December 2016. Our strategic objective is to make the Keynsham and Saltford community more aware and supportive of those affected by dementia, their families, friends and carers. We plan that the community will ultimately become “dementia friendly”.

Our work has started and we plan to tackle our objective on three fronts:

1. EDUCATION: providing information to groups and organisations.

2. DIRECT ACTION: running events and activities for the benefit of those affected.

3. INFLUENCE: identifying issues and promoting action to improve the lives of those affected.

To read our strategic plan please click here

How can you help us?

We have established a regular event called “Music for the Mind”, at St. Dunstan’s church hall Keynsham, for those living with dementia and their carers. This provides the chance to meet people over tea or coffee, listen to some music and maybe sing along. Come along and make new friends, we would like you to be involved. If you live in the Keynsham or Saltford area and you are living with dementia or you know or care for someone who is then you may be interested in attending “Music for the Mind” which is free of charge (donations are welcome). The event takes place every second and fourth Thursday in the month at 10.30am until 12.15pm.

You can see a short video of our Music for the Mind event below.

If you belong to an organisation a company or group, you might like more information and would like to invite us to present to your group or organisation (about 30-45 minute presentation). If so please click here for information about how to contact us.

You might wish to help us by volunteering, fundraising for us or by making a donation. If so, we would love to hear from you. Please click here to find out how to contact us.

Small Changes help

Making our community “dementia friendly” can sometimes involve making small changes that help the lives of those living with the condition. Click here to watch a short video made by the Alzheimer’s Society which demonstrates this point.

The wonderful drawing was provided by 6 year old Sofia Vince-Greenwell who goes to school in Keynsham. Her step Grandad aged 58 years has dementia. Thank you Sofia.

Supporters of the Keynsham Dementia Action Alliance

The Keynsham Dementia Action Alliance (KDAA) was formed towards the end of 2016. We started running monthly Music for the Mind sessions in May 2017 in St Dunstan’s Church Hall in Keynsham. These sessions are open for anyone who has been diagnosed with dementia along with their carers and our aim was to make the sessions free of charge. We had enough interest and funding to increase the frequency of the sessions to fortnightly from October 2017. Due to the wonderful generosity and support we have received from businesses, organisations and residents of Keynsham, Saltford and the local area, we are now confident that we can continue running these free sessions well into the future.

There are 7 members on the committee and we are supported by a fantastic team of volunteers. On behalf of the whole team we would like to thank all our supporters for their help. We are extremely fortunate to have so many businesses and organisations who have supported us since we began. It is a long list and hopefully we haven’t left anybody off.

The Coventry Building Society have kindly agreed to join us as a community partner. We have trained all their staff to be Dementia Friends and their refurbished premises in Keynsham High Street is dementia friendly

We have received grants from the following:

Keynsham Town Council

Saltford Parish Council

Waitrose (via their green voucher scheme)

Tesco (via their Bags for Help scheme, blue voucher scheme)

St John’s Foundation, Bath

Wales and West Utilities Ltd

Wessex Water

Santander

A number of local organisations have nominated KDAA to be their Charity of the Year. This includes:

Keynsham Baptists Women’s League

St Keyna’s Townswomen’s Guild

Keynsham Rotary Club

Saltford Golf Club Ladies section

Chewton Keynsham Church

Keynsham Walking Football

St Luke’s Ladies Group, Brislington

The Keynsham Bowls Club and the Saltford AM Women’s Institute have nominated the KDAA to be their Charity of the Year for 2019.

We have also received donations from several local groups some of which resulted from the group having a talk on dementia delivered by one of our own Dementia Champions. The groups are:

Keynsham Timber and Hardware Ltd

Tripp’s Art gallery, Keynsham

Homemakers Keynsham Baptist Church

St John’s Keynsham

Queen’s Road Ladies Group, Keynsham

Kingfisher Lodge Care Home in Saltford

Saltford Sunday pm Tea Party Group

Keynsham Clinic (from a raffle)

Union Chapel, Combe Down

Whitchurch Women’s Institute

Whitchurch Ladies

St John’s Wives Fellowship

Keynsham Baptists Women’s League

Keynsham Women’s Institute

Holiday at Home Group, St John’s

St Andrew’s Ladies

St Augustine’s Wives and Friends

Keynsham Chapter

We have also received a couple of funeral donations in memorium to Mrs Norma Dawson who lived in Kingfisher Lodge and attended a number of our Music for the Mind sessions, and Mr Tom McHenry.

Thanks also go to:

Keynsham Chapter

St Luke’s Ladies Group, Brislington

A big thank you to everyone. Without you we wouldn’t be able to provide the support we give to those living with dementia and their carers in Keynsham and Saltford.

A special thank you to the Keynsham Dial-a-Ride team who do a great job for us. They go to a couple of local care homes to bring residents to our Music for the Mind sessions.