Calling all volunteers! Dementia Adventure launches Autumn appeal

People living with dementia and their carers can often feel that sharing a holiday with each other is something that can no longer be achieved. However, supported holidays allow carers and people with dementia to enjoy time away from home together by removing the barriers that can make taking a break difficult. Dementia Adventure offers assistance for both the carer and person with dementia – someone who has been trained in dementia support – as an extra pair of hands to help with as little or as much as required. With all the logistical arrangements taken care of and an itinerary that caters for everyone’s needs, both the carer and person living with dementia can concentrate on themselves and each other.

Dementia Adventure, a multi-award winning, innovative, social enterprise and charity based in Essex, is committed to helping people living with dementia to get outdoors, connect with nature, themselves and their communities and is therefore seeking more volunteers to join the organisation to help and support people not only during these holidays but to undertake other roles such as community ambassadors and fundraisers.

“Volunteers are already incredibly important to our work,” says Hayley Dickson, Volunteer Co-ordinator, “and so we welcome local individuals, from across the county, who are keen to volunteer their time and support us in a number of ways - whether it be to take a few days out of their lives to go away on holiday with a couple living with dementia, or help promote our work by giving talks, attending events or encouraging and supporting fundraisers and groups in their local area.

Volunteering is an excellent opportunity to gain experience and develop skills all whilst being part of a friendly and enthusiastic team. More importantly, we recognise the fantastic contribution our volunteers make and so will ensure that they are fully supported during their time with us. This includes attending a volunteers training course - made possible by the support of players of the People’s Postcode Lottery - over two days in late September at our offices near Chelmsford. The number of days training is dependent on the role the potential volunteer would like to undertake.”

Dementia Adventure aims to ensure that everyone who then goes on to volunteer with the organisation has increased understanding, awareness and confidence to actively engage more people living with dementia with nature and the outdoors to enable them to retain a sense of adventure in their lives. One volunteer has previously described the training as “Educational and inspiring” whilst another commented that “It was so valuable and brilliant. I want more people to know about it”.

There are currently a number of different volunteering positions available with the charity.

• Holiday Support - Each person with dementia and their carer is supported by a trained volunteer whilst on a Dementia Adventure holiday. Volunteers will have all costs covered when away on a holiday and will always be working alongside a paid member of staff. They will also not be expected to provide hands-on personal care.
• Community Ambassadors – Opportunities available to get involved in all aspects within the community, whether it be participating in a local event or visiting a group like a dementia or memory cafe. This is an ideal role if you are unable to give a set commitment each week. All the organisation asks is that you are willing to participate in one event or activity a month and you will always be given plenty of advance notice.
• Community Fundraisers – Dementia Adventure is eager to recruit individuals who are happy to organise, promote and run their own fundraising activities – anything from a quiz night to a coffee morning. As a volunteer fundraiser you would be responsible for managing the hours that you give as the frequency of fundraising events is determined by yourself.

If you are interested in learning more about the volunteering opportunities Dementia Adventure has to offer please contact Hayley Dickson, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Dementia Adventure on 01245 327548 or email hayley@dementiaadventure.co.uk

ENDS

For further information, please contact: Joanne Lambert Smith at Dementia Adventure on 01245 237548 or email jo@dementiaadventure.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Dementia Adventure

• Dementia Adventure is an award winning social enterprise and registered charity committed to helping people living with dementia get outdoors, connect with nature, themselves and their community, and retain a sense of adventure in their lives. www.dementiaadventure.co.uk
• Through training, research, and consultancy services it enables care providers and organisations to take advantage of the natural resources on their doorstep to enhance the lives of people living with dementia and the people who care for them.
• The organisation is currently expanding the benefits of its nature-based, positive-risk taking approach with local and national partners through its social licence product Dementia Adventure in a Box in order to increase the choices of outdoor activities available for people with dementia. Its legacy will be to create an ever-growing network of dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable individuals and organisations, all receiving in-depth support from the Dementia Adventure team.
• Dementia Adventure also designs, plans and delivers bespoke, small-group holidays and short-breaks for people living with dementia and their carers to enjoy together. It supports people with trained staff and volunteers, and offers this as an alternative to traditional respite.