UP CLOSE: With the woman behind B's Memory Café in Macclesfield
By Alex Greensmith
23rd Jun 2024 | Advertisement Features
They say Macclesfield has too many cafés, but none are quite like this.
As B's Memory Café is not your traditional brick-and-mortar coffee shop.
Instead, it is a monthly event at Upton Priory care village Belong Macclesfield, designed specially to support members of the community.
Every part of B's Memory Café, from the activities, to nostalgic cakes, are designed to bring back memories (and for relatives and staff - make new ones).
The café is open to non customers/members of the public, specifically those with dementia or those having memory issues.
It runs on the third Friday of every month, with the next one being on Friday June 21.
There's a different experience each session, connecting activities with memory, including games, light exercise led by the in-house exercise specialist, and live entertainment from visiting performers.
For Macclesfield Nub News' visit, the theme was arts and crafts.
The first activity was colouring in, which was a calming and peaceful activity for both people with dementia and their relatives to do.
Next up was a memory game featuring old print advertisements, a format that would make a great TV gameshow.
The quiz was presented in bingo format and had many guests talking about their memories of the adverts. Some even burst into song, and we all know how music can aid memory.
B's Memory Café is held at Belong Macclesfield every month, and indeed at Belong's other villages in the north west.
Admiral nurse Bridget Lawler co-ordinates B's Memory Café in conjunction with the village's experience team.
As mental health nurses with specialist expertise in dementia, Belong's Admiral Nurses are employed in partnership with charity Dementia UK and are highly skilled in working with people with dementia and supporting others to find successful strategies to promote wellbeing.
Upon meeting Bridget, it is easy to tell the warmth that she provides to attendees of the Café, and how passionate she is about the community initiative.
"B's Memory Café is open to members of the community, in Upton Priory and wider Macclesfield," she said.
"We hold it once a month in all Belong villages to provide support for people living with dementia, and their loved ones.
"We mainly want to have some fun and enjoy our time together, and there is also the opportunity to discuss support options."
And the support is not just the fun activities provided. B's Café is also designed to be a safe space for partners and relatives to speak to someone about how their family member's diagnosis is affecting them.
"I am there as a friendly face to provide information [particularly useful for loved ones affected by dementia]," added Bridget.
"If people need to talk to me in private too, I am here to assist. Sometimes the person with dementia doesn't want their loved one to leave them, so I then make an appointment to see them.
"We find it very helpful when the families chat to each other, they will share experience and give advice or information to one another.
Being open to the general public, local businesses have even come in to pledge their support.
Macclesfield Nub News is one of those to have recently popped in to speak with guests and how their faces light up when given the opportunity to speak about their past lives.
B's Café was named after the late Belinda Jones, a senior support worker of Belong Crewe who went on to lead the organisation's dementia training programme and was a former Dementia Carer of the Year. Unfortunately, she passed away after a two year battle with cancer, as reported by Macclesfield Nub News' sister site Crewe Nub News.
Bridget - who is about to celebrate her 11th work anniversary with Belong - is keeping Belinda's legacy alive.
"Belong is the best employer I have ever worked for," added Bridget.
"For me, it is genuinely a home away from home. I love the company, I love the people, I love the feeling of care for both those who attend and from my employer."
There is a hive of activities at B's Café. Other activities held at the monthly event across Belong's sites include pet therapy, flower arranging, specialist exercises classes and visits from musical performers. They can also be themed, in April a Grand National-themed Memory Café was held, for example.
At another recent one, family members came to present their relative's favourite song, and talked about the memories associated with it, before playing it for everyone.
"We had one partner who was crying tears of joy", told Bridget.
"And I can't even describe the joy that B's Memory Café brings me.
"It just makes me really emotional to see the fun. Because so often, dementia is associated with sadness, anger, grief. All those negative feelings.
"But when guests join us, we change those negative feelings into positive feelings of joy, happiness and laughter.
"For me, to see that person and their family member just relaxing, and enjoying being with each other, for me that is all I want to see. That is what B's Café is all about.
"It can sometimes feel quite lonely for the families of someone with dementia. But when they spend a couple of hours with us, it just gives them that freedom, joy, and it makes them realise that they are not on their own, and there is help out there."
B's Memory Café sessions at Belong Macclesfield is an opportunity to meet new people, talk with Bridget and members of the care team for advice and support. It is free to attend and refreshments are provided. Call 01625 508700 to book.
The next sessions of B's Memory Café is on Friday June 21 and Friday July 19 from 2pm to 4pm.
Macclesfield: More info can be found HERE.
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