What we do
The photos below show some of the previous events and activities we've been a part of, from Dementia festivals (DemFest), weekly singing groups, games and activity groups to reminiscence groups and afternoon teas.
DemFest 2016
Our
Story
Where it all started
In May 2014 Romsey was declared a Dementia Friendly Town – one of the first in Hampshire to achieve this accolade.
At the time, I was working at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens as the Volunteer Co-ordinator and was asked by the Gardens’ Director if I would attend the launch party to represent the Gardens. In conjunction with Dementia Hampshire and Andover Mind several organisations and businesses attended the celebration.
Andover Mind encouraged some of us individuals to get together to try to spread the word and help more businesses to train their staff in how to deal with customers and clients who may have dementia and to handle situations in a friendly, sympathetic and acceptable way.
Sadly, Dementia Hampshire’s funding came to an end and as a “winding up”, they organised a large conference in Winchester inviting organisations within and outside the County to put forward new ideas to increase awareness. From outside Hampshire some organisations gave presentations on how they had developed ways and means of giving support to those with dementia and their families including safety by the Fire Service in Yorkshire and Sporting venues to mention but two.
Another founder member of Romdag – Ian Bradford – and I attended this conference and various presentations and were very impressed by what we observed. At the end, Ian remarked how great it would be to do something like this on an annual basis and enquired if I could ask the Director of Gardens if we could hold an outdoor event at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. Well, I asked and the answer was yes.
As a result a few of us got together to organise the first ever DEMFEST in 2015. We wanted to concentrate the work we hoped to do on Romsey and the surrounding area, hence the name ROMDAG was created – Romsey Dementia Action Group. The ethos of the group was to provide information and support to those affected in any way by the disease Dementia, to put in place events and social activities to include those with the disease and anyone who wanted more details and support. Demfest continued on an annual basis until that dreaded pandemic put a stop to it.
Our thanks have to go to Wolfgang Bopp (Director at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens) Ian, Marianne, Amelia and Maria who no longer are part of Romdag but without whom we may not have got off the ground