19/5/21 

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff is backing this year's Dementia Action Week by donning his jeans, to help raise awareness and funds for his chosen charity.

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Rod McKerlich, is supporting Alzheimer's Society Cymru during his tenure and is encouraging people to dig out their dungarees, denim jackets, shirts or favourite jeans to wear for the ‘Denim for Dementia' campaign during Dementia Action Week (May 17 - 23).

Dementia Action Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of dementia, the challenges people living with the disease and their families experience as well as the wealth of positive work going on and services available to enable people with dementia to live well.

The Lord Mayor said: "Some of the challenges and issues people living with dementia experience have been brought more to light during the pandemic, which has affected the elderly population so much. I hope this Dementia Action Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of these issues and also much needed funds so that organisations like Alzheimer's Society can continue their wonderful work in supporting people living with dementia and their families."

Anyone wishing to support the Lord Mayor's charity can donate here:

Dig out your denim for dementia! (alzheimers.org.uk)Please mark your donation ‘Lord Mayor of Cardiff's COTY'.

Fundraising Manger for Alzheimer's Society, Jess Bowring, said: ‘To everyone taking part in Denim for Dementia, diolch yn fawr! Without support from people like yourselves, we couldn't provide vital services or fund our ground breaking dementia research. You are helping to support people affected by dementia today whilst funding research in to a cure for the future. If you would like information on how to find support or how to volunteer, please get in touch on 07545 094 689 orJess.Bowring@alzheimers.org.uk"

The younger generation are taking action this week with a new pen pal scheme that is being piloted at St Joseph's RC Primary School and Millbank Primary School. Pupils are putting pen to paper to draft letters to residents at The Forge Care Centre and Ely Court Care Home to share their experiences and find out more about their new pen pals.

There's also wealth of dementia-friendly activities and events taking place this Dementia Action Week, and every week in Cardiff as the Council and its partners seek to make the city a more dementia-friendly community.

Working with Alzheimer's Society Cymru and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, the Council is committed to ensuring Cardiff is a place where people living with the disease and their families feel supported to live well.

Information on a host of online social and wellbeing sessions can be found on the Dementia Friendly Cardiff website atwww.dementiafriendlycardiff.co.ukwhich also provides details on services and useful resources to support individuals and families, including Reading Well for Dementia resources.

ThisBooks on Prescription scheme provides helpful reading for people experiencing a dementia, including books selected by health professionals and people who have lived experience of condition. All hubs and libraries across the city stock the reading list - visitwww.cardiff.gov.uk/librariesfor information on digital resources, click and collect book services or how to book a slot to browse the shelves in your local hub or library.

For more information on Dementia Friendly Cardiff, visitwww.dementiafriendlycardiff.co.uk