Just a year after the Havering Dementia Action Alliance was formed, it has been shortlisted for two awards, recognising its work to make the borough more dementia friendly.
It is a finalist in the Dementia Friendly Awards 2015 in the Best Dementia Friendly Community Initiative category. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on Wednesday 16 September.
The alliance has also been shortlisted in the National Diversity Awards 2015, for which there were around 20,000 nominations. Members of the alliance will find out if they have won in the Community Organisation Award for Disability category, just days after the first awards evening, on Friday 18 September in Liverpool.
The alliance is made up of a number of local companies and organisations, including Havering Council, the Alzheimer’s Society, Barking Havering and Redbridge NHS University Trust (BHRUT) and Havering Mind. Other members include local shops, banks and charities.
Havering has the largest population of people aged 65 and over in London, and there are over 3,000 people living with dementia in the borough.
The Dementia Action Alliance aims to make the lives of people living with the condition, and their carers, better by encouraging everyone in the community to make simple changes and be more understanding.
Councillor Wendy Brice-Thompson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Health, said:
“It is fantastic that the dementia alliance has been shortlisted for both of these awards. It is made up of many partners all wanting to achieve the same aim, making the borough a friendlier place for people living with dementia.
“I am so proud that it is being recognised in this way, especially as it was only launched last year. I’m sure everyone involved will be keeping their fingers crossed that we triumph on the night, at both award ceremonies!”
