Bristol Dementia Action Alliance (BDAA)
BDAA have been instrumental in helping All Saints become a dementia aware organisation, and the All Saints Friends Together Cafe would not have started if it hadn’t been for the advice and support from the team at BDAA, led by their Chair, Tony Hall.
BDAA is a non-profit organisation that aims to make Bristol a dementia aware city, and believes that people with dementia have the right to live well, engage in and contribute to their local community. It was launched in 2013 and became a registered charity in 2016, and works with various partners and stakeholders to raise awareness and understanding of dementia, support people living with dementia and their carers, and campaign for better care and services.
Some of the activities and projects that BDAA undertakes include:
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Using the Purple Angel Campaign and Dementia Friends as tools to increase dementia awareness and train staff in local businesses and organisations.
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Running roadshows, stalls, events and workshops in strategic locations in Bristol to reach out to different groups and communities.
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Visiting schools, youth clubs and faith groups to educate young people about dementia.
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Creating the Avon & Somerset Dementia Forum to facilitate collaboration and communication among dementia stakeholders.
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Supporting local people with dementia through initiatives such as the Happy Days Memory Cafes, the Dementia Friendly Church and the Dementia Safeguarding Scheme.
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Providing free resources and useful contacts for people affected by dementia, such as GP packs, legal advice, music therapy and scam prevention guides.
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Recognising and rewarding individuals and organisations that make a positive difference for people with dementia through the Dementia Aware Awards.
All Saints and BDAA continue to work together and support each other with the goal of raising awareness and understanding of dementia and promoting action, so that those living with dementia, together with their friends, family and carers, can live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
In September 2023, All Saints was delighted to receive the BDAA Gold Award for the second year running, in recognition of our status as ‘A Proud Dementia Aware Organisation’.
For more information, to get involved or to donate to BDAA, see their website here