One of our core values is being inclusive. This means us ensuring that we take steps to understand others, welcome the diversity they bring and to encourage inclusivity within the physical activity system in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. We bring this and all our other values to life in our daily work. We always want to learn more about factors or conditions which may affect a person’s ability to be active. 

Clive, who has two types of Dementia, and his wife Barbara recently visited us with Jan, a Dementia Friends volunteer, to provide a dementia awareness session to the Energize team. 

Clive, Barbara and Jan shared with us their personal experiences of being diagnosed with dementia, caring for someone with a dementia diagnosis, and as a healthcare professional nursing patients living with dementia. By the end of the session, we had been given lots of information and experiences to increase our understanding.  We learnt that there are many different types of dementia and how they can affect a person and their relatives, friends, and carer just as much, if not more.  Having more knowledge helps enable us to be more inclusive within our work; and we are so grateful for people like Clive, Barbara and Jan who are willing to increase awareness by delivering such insightful sessions.

Jan’s feedback: 

“What an amazing session we had! Your group was already informed with some personal experiences, very engaged and enquiring of Dementia Friends. It was lovely to have Clive and Barbara there to give their first-hand experience too.”

 You can find out more about Dementia Friends on their website.