Charity working with older people with dementia and memory loss hailed 'Community Champions'

Oswestry charity Connect For Life was chosen by town mayor Councillor Jay Moore as his first Community Champions of 2023.

The award was made at a recent town council meeting.

Connect For Life is a volunteer-led charity that provides specialist day support.

The charity’s coordinator, Alison Humphreys, founded Connect For Life in 2016 in response to a growing need for quality day care in Oswestry.

Alison, who once worked in the NHS, says she witnessed care for dementia patients and felt that there had to be a better way forward. This fuelled her vision, and Connect For Life was born.

"Connect For Life has grown 10-fold since 2016 and is now a respected community asset aimed at increasing people's self-esteem and sense of wellbeing and providing carer respite," she said.

The team of volunteers deliver a variety of creative activities including music, dance, arts and crafts, reminiscence, quizzes, discussions and physical activity.

Councillor Moore said that, during the pandemic, the Connect For Life team adapted the service in very difficult circumstances and deployed virtual volunteers, made phone calls, delivered activity and cheer-up packs and kept their community thriving during some of the hardest times.

From a single weekly session each week delivered by a team of three, the team at Connect For Life has grown to 25 volunteers providing two support sessions a week and two cognitive stimulation sessions each month.

Councillor Moore said he was a passionate supporter of the charity.

"I have been lucky to spend time with the Connect For Life family," he said.

"My first civic event was at Connect for Life during the jubilee celebrations and I was a little nervous in my new role. I was warmly welcomed and made to feel at home amongst the volunteer and service users.

"A couple of months ago, I was invited back with my drums to provide a workshop and it is during that workshop that I knew we’d found our next Community Champions.

"Oswestry Town Council would like to thank all the team at Connect for Live for their hard work and dedication – true Community Champions."

For more information about Connect for Life, visit connectforlife.co.uk/about