MDDAY is a community-lead initiative in which “volunteers and communities come together…. with a single purpose: to improve the lives of others”...
At Bluebird Care Sevenoaks, we’ve always been keen to forge links with the local community, and in addition to our primary purpose of providing a high-quality homecare service to vulnerable people around Sevenoaks, we also believe that of central importance to our mission is educating people, especially the younger generations of today, about increasingly-common conditions like Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, to create a more Dementia-friendly tomorrow.
A recent event in pursuit of this involved a partnership with Radnor House (previously known as Coombe Bank School) in Sundridge for Make a Difference Day (#MDDAY). MDDAY is a community-lead initiative in which “volunteers and communities come together… with a single purpose: to improve the lives of others.”
Our Registered Manager,
Dementia Friends Champion and community stalwart Debbie Moulton was asked to present at a morning assembly earlier in the year, introducing our “Harvest Festival” tea party that we were planning for our customers in October and asking the children if the'd like to participate.
Those who put themselves forward were invited to a “Dementia Friends” workshop, run by Debbie. The school, children and parents would then
contribute to all the cake-making, scone-baking, sandwich-preparing efforts required to entertain a group of 30-40. There would also be some live performances courtesy of the school's many talented musicians and singers.
On the day, the children helped set up the local community hall and laid table decorations. One by one our customers arrived, and were greeted and waited on all afternoon by an army of young Dementia Friends.
The spread was mouth-watering, and the entertainment was described as delightful, with a selection of poems, songs and solo artists playing their instruments. All the customers left with full bellies, flowers, a commemorative leaf made by the children and many happy memories.
Our customers, some of whose grandchildren live many miles away, told us that they really enjoyed the interaction with the children and the joy that they brought to the event. Some of our customers’ children had even attended the school themselves and leaped at the opportunity help out, and to chat to current staff and other mums – perhaps even some old friends!
MDDAY was a roaring success, not just for our customers but for the participating children of Radnor House, all of whom are now official Dementia Friends!
