Community
Dementia Friends celebrates first birthday
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ON February 19 2014, Alzheimer’s Society launched its award-winning Dementia Friends initiative in Wales. On its first
![Celebrating the anniversary of Dementia Friends: Mary Thomas with Chella Borde.](http://pembs-herald.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/dementiacharity-300x200.jpg)
Celebrating the anniversary of Dementia Friends: Mary Thomas with Chella Borde.
anniversary, the charity is calling on people across the country to join the 8,000 Dementia Friends who have already joined the movement to breakdown the stigma of a condition that affects 45,000 people in Wales.
Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative aims to make everyday life better for people with dementia and is this country’s biggest ever project to change the way the nation thinks, talks and acts when it comes to the condition. In the first year over 8,000 people in Wales have become Dementia Friends whilst a further 308 have taken a further step to become a Dementia Friends Champion.
A Dementia Friends Champion runs Friends’ information sessions for people in their personal networks or communities. They do this after participating in the one-day Dementia Friends Champions’ training run by Alzheimer’s Society.
Chella Borde, Alzheimer’s Society Regional Support Officer for Dementia Friends in Wales, said: “The level of support for Dementia Friends in Wales has been overwhelming. In the first year alone we have created over 8,100 Dementia Friends and hundreds more Champions. Members of the public, staff from the emergency services as well businesses and other organisations across Wales have all signed up to the initiative and we hope many more will follow in their footsteps. Through Dementia Friends, we can all understand a bit more about what it is like to live with dementia and the small things that help those with the condition. It is easy and free to become a Dementia Friend. Everyone in Wales has a role to play.”
At the end of a Dementia Friends session people are encouraged to turn their understanding into action. Actions don’t have to be time-consuming. Examples have included:
- Behaving patiently with someone showing the signs of dementia
- Spending more time with, helping or supporting a friend or relative affected by dementia
- Signposting people affected by dementia to more information and support
- Helping your workplace to be more dementia-friendly
- Telling other people about Dementia Friends or spreading the word through social media.
Mary Thomas was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010. The 60-year-old from Cardiff regularly attends the Ty Hapus day service in Barry which is specifically designed to support younger people with dementia.
She said: “People assume that if you’ve got dementia that’s it, that you can’t do anything yourself, and you’re helpless. That’s not true. There’s a lot of bad stigma around dementia and it’s not fair. The more people that understand; the better things will be. People can lose patience and be rude, but Dementia Friends can help people understand that just because someone’s got dementia, they’re not stupid, they might just need a little bit of help.”
The anniversary of Dementia Friends comes shortly after the team behind the initiative won the Class award for best communications in the 2014 Third Sector Awards Cymru.
To find out more about Dementia Friends, or to sign up, please visit dementiafriends.org.uk
Community
Cresswell Quay conservation consultation launch backed
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A PUBLIC consultation is to be held on potentially making one of south Pembrokeshire’s most scenic estuarial villages, home to a CAMRA award-winning pub, a conservation area.
At the July 24 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, members backed a public consultation being launched for potentially designating Cresswell Quay as a Conservation Area.
Cresswell Quay, home to the Cresselly Arms, is “one of the most scenic villages within the National Park and is highly significant as a very early coal port, retaining several buildings of architectural importance,” a report for members stated.
There are some 500 conservation areas, defined as “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance” across Wales, 14 in the national park.
The report for Park members added: “The designation of a conservation area at Cresswell Quay would recognise the special architectural and historic interest of the village and would ensure that future development either preserves or enhances the character and appearance of the conservation area.
“The designation would introduce controls over the demolition of buildings which would require conservation area consent and affords greater protection of works to trees. Officers consider that part of the special interest of Cresswell Quay is the relationship between the village, the estuary and its wooded setting, which is unusual in a Pembrokeshire context.”
The consultation on the conservation status has been backed, rather than simply be designated in-house as Cresswell Quay is the home of the Buildings Conservation Officer; the consultation being launched “to avoid any potential conflict of interest or wider public misconception”.
It will be undertaken by Linda Jones of Babb Architects, Whitland and Emily Holder, Conservation Assistant, supported by members of the Strategic Policy team.
Initial engagement with key landowners and the three community councils of the area has already taken place, and a public drop-in event is expected to take place in early August.
Further information on the consultation will also promoted at events including the Pembrokeshire County Show and Martletwy Show.
At the national park meeting, member Cllr Simon Hancock expressed his surprise the ‘Quay was not already in a conservation area.
The eight-week consultation is expected to be launched on July 29, finishing on September 23.
Earlier this year the Cresselly Arms won the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) pub of the year award for the whole of Wales.
The Cresselly Arms averaged 89 points out of a maximum 120 after surveys were conducted across the country by members of other branches.
Community
Public reminded to stay away from Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay
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THE PORT of Milford Haven is reminding members of the public to stay away from Ward’s Yard in Milford Haven and Criterion Quay (sometimes known as the offshore jetty) in Pembroke Dock due to concerns over public safety.
Despite significant security measures, people continue to access the sites illegally, ignoring and sometimes damaging the onsite signage and fences.
Niall Yeomans, Head of Health, Safety and Security at the Port of Milford Haven said: “Safety is our key priority. Members of the public are continuously putting themselves and members of our team at risk of serious harm by trespassing in these areas.”
“Both Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay are unsafe for public access. They are isolated areas next to deep water and are susceptible to slips, trips and falls.”
Both sites are owned by the Port of Milford Haven and are private property. Anyone found onsite without consent is trespassing, and any criminal damage could result in prosecution.
Anyone who sees any suspicious activity at Ward’s Yard or Criterion Quay is asked to contact Dyfed Powys Police on 101 urgently.
Community
Port sponsors water safety programme for Pembrokeshire pupils
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OVER 200 children from coastal schools in Pembrokeshire have learnt important water safety skills in a project sponsored by the Port of Milford Haven.
Dale-based water sports provider, Windswept CIC, has been running the Swim Safe programme for Year 5 and 6 pupils from St Francis Catholic Primary School, Milford Haven Community Primary School, Neyland Community School, Broad Haven Primary School and Cleddau Reach School over the past few months. Swim Safe was started by the RNLI and Swim England and consists of a teacher-led school session with materials and lesson plans provided, followed by a beach session covering a wide range of topics including what to do in an emergency situation, survival techniques and recognising risks associated with water.
Director of Windswept, Sarah Bagley, said “This is our second season conducting Swim Safe training to schools in Pembrokeshire, supported by the Port of Milford Haven. Swim Safe is such a great initiative and is so important for all young children to equip them with life saving skills prior to the summer holidays. We’d like to thank the Port of Milford Haven once again for supporting this great cause!”
Sara Richards, PR and Communications Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, attended a session with Cleddau Reach School from Llangwm and commented “Living near the sea means it’s vital that young people know what to do in an emergency and are aware of the risks associated with the water. We want everyone to enjoy the coastline as much as possible this summer armed with the safety tips that they will have learnt with Windswept.”
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