Pledging to help fight Dementia

The earlier you learn about dementia and all its concerns, the more likely you are able to deal with it in later life.

That’s the message that on Friday, March 19, the RotaKids, Core 5 and house captains from Buttsbury Junior School heard when they attended a Dementia Friends Training session with Maureen Lee, a Dementia Champion from the Billericay Dementia Action Alliance. 

As head teacher Ann Robinson explained: “The session had been postponed from the Autumn term by the pandemic, so it was wonderful, at last, for our RotaKids to all meet in one room - albeit socially distanced - and take part in their first official meeting as all previous meetings had been in year group bubbles.”
Maureen introduced the five key messages about dementia:

• It is not a natural part of ageing
• It is caused by brain disease
• It is not just losing memory
• It is possible to live well with dementia

She stressed “There is much more to a person than dementia.  Think about your actions and how you can make sure you try to carry them out.  Look after your Dementia Friends badge.  Wear it at school and when you are out, e.g., in the High Street.  Remember that no one is asking you to talk to people you don’t know and that it is important to follow social distancing rules and stay safe.”  Maureen will return in the Summer so the children can update her on what they have been doing as a Dementia Friend.

Empathy And Understanding

“As the first school in Billericay to receive a Dementia Friends School Award, the children learnt how Buttsbury Juniors can help Billericay become more dementia friendly,” Ann told us.  “They learnt what dementia is, how they can support those who have it and how they to promote awareness by having empathy and understanding. The school is very proud of all the children who attended the training; they had some excellent questions to ask Maureen and have all now received their Dementia Friends badges which they have been wearing with pride.”
The children raised many questions and drew up their own list of expectations for each age-group.  They also decided on a new challenge to create ‘fiddle muffs’ for people with dementia.  Jack Green’s Grandma, had knitted one already described as “amazing”. Now everyone will try and get their family involved and perhaps take up knitting too!  Final words from Ann: “We are looking forward to developing the work we have done so far - one of the children’s missions is to promote dementia friendly cafés and shops.”

Red Nose Day

That wasn’t all.  Ann reported “the children also took an active part in Red Nose Day, dressing up in red and raising over £690.  Amazing!  A lot more than we normally collect. To add an extra element of fun to the day, we had a very special visitor join us who went to all the classes in turn - fortunately he had eaten first!”  See photo above!