Aboot Us
Makkin memories, biggin freenships an strengthenin oor community.
At Memories Dementia Café, we believe that some o life’s greatest pleasures are the simplest: a freendly face, a cup o tea, a kent sang, a guid crack an the chance tae share a laugh.
Oor Café is a place whaur iverybody is walcome, freenships are formed an fowk come thegither tae enjoy ilk ither’s company.
Tho oor Café wus set up tae support fowk livin wi dementia an their faimilies, oor focus isna on illness or diagnosis. It’s on fowk, freenship, enjoyment an makkin the maist o iverie day.
Whan ye wauk throu oor doors, ye’re no a diagnosis. Ye’re jist yin o us.
Past – Whaur Oor Story Begoud
Memories Dementia Café begoud in Aprile 2025, inspired bi an initiative frae Portadown Rotary Club tae mak a walcomin meetin place for fowk livin wi dementia, their faimilies an cairers.
The idea wus simple: bring fowk thegither in a freendly, informal setting whaur they could enjoy guid company, refreshments an a few oors o fun.
Wi the generous support o Portadown Wellness Centre, which gied us oor first premises free o chairge an helped spreid the wurd throu the community, the Café opened its doors for the first time.
Frae thae early gaitherins, somethin special begoud tae develop.
Fowk wha had arrived as strangers became kent faces. Cracks turned intae freenships, an oor weekly meetins became an occasion that fowk luiked forrit tae.
Throu the kindness o volunteers, the generosity o supporters an the enthusiasm o thae attendin, Memories Dementia Café grew frae a simple community idea intae a weel-luved weekly gaitherin.
Present – A Place tae Belang
The day, Memories Dementia Café is based in Legahory, Craigavon, whaur we walcome aboot 35 fowk iverie week.
Oor gaitherins are fu o crack, music, singin, games, laughter an, o coorse, plenty o tea, coffee an somethin guid tae eat.
Some fowk enjoy joinin in wi the music or a game o bingo. Ithers prefer a quiet crack, catchin up wi freens or jist sittin back an enjoyin the atmosphere.
There’s nae pressure tae tak pairt in onie thing. Iverybody is encouraged tae enjoy the Café in their ain wey.
For faimilies an cairers, the Café is an opportunity tae relax, meet new fowk an enjoy time thegither in a freendly environment.
Oor wunnerfu volunteers help mak aw o this possible, givin their time an energy tae mak a place that feels walcomin, kent an fu o life.
Whut maks Memories Dementia Café special isna onie particular activity or programme. It’s the fowk wha come throu oor doors an the freenships that grow atween them.
We come thegither as freens, share a few laughs an leave luikin forrit tae the next time.
Future – Growin Thegither
Oor journey is anly beginnin.
The success o Memories Dementia Café haes shown us jist hoo muckle a simple, walcomin community space can mean tae fowk.
Oor ambition is tae build on whut we hae made while haudin on tae the freendly, informal atmosphere that maks the Café special.
In the months an years aheid, we howp tae extend oor openin oors, introduce mair Café days an offer mair opportunities for fowk tae meet, enjoy activities an spend time thegither.
We aw howp tae develop arrangements that will let cairers enjoy some mair time for themsels, while their luved yins tak pairt in suitable, supported Café activities.
Warkin alangside local businesses, community organisations, volunteers an supporters will be essential as we develop thae plans an secure the Café’s future.
Luikin further aheid, we wad luve tae see similar cafés set up in ither touns an communities, ilk yin independently organised an shaped bi local fowk, but sharin the same walcomin spirit.
Oor vision isna complicated. We want tae mak mair places whaur fowk feel walcome, whaur freenships flourish an whaur naebody needs tae feel isolated or forgotten.
Whutiver the future brings, yin thing will bide the same: Memories Dementia Café will aye be aboot fowk.
Guid company. Guid crack. Great memories.