Chichester lights up for Dementia Awareness

During the evening of Monday 13th May and continuing throughout the week, Chichester Fire Station, Chichester Cross, Library, Butter Market, Police Station, Assembly Rooms, Metro House, Prebendal School, St John’s Chapel, Chichester District Council, Travel Lodge, Ambulance Centre, The Duke & Rye and St Pancras Church all took part in the first Light Up Chichester event.

Members of the emergency services also gathered at the city centre to flash their lights in solidarity for this important cause. Showmen Events kindly lent their time and provided extra lighting on the night to make the city even more vibrant.

A touching display connecting generations was unveiled in Chichester Library, including Dementia Support flowers coloured in by local school children. Local schools including St Richards Catholic Primary School, Jessie Younghusband School, East Wittering Primary School and Kingsham Primary, entered the colouring competition for a chance for one lucky student to win a personal tour of Chichester Fire Station, kindly provided by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. The competition was judged by customers living with dementia from Sage House’s respite day care service.

Light Up Chichester aims to shed light on the estimated 17,500 people living with dementia in West Sussex and help them access the vital support they deserve from Sage House. There are plans to make this an annual event to make the public more aware of dementia and how they can access reliable and essential help.

Sage House in Tangmere provides vital and life-changing support for families affected by dementia, including free, specialist advisors, known as Wayfinders, who help people understand how to deal with dementia, with or without a formal diagnosis.

Light Up Chichester is organised by the Chichester Dementia Alliance, a group of local organisations aiming to raise awareness of dementia locally. Members include Sage House Tangmere, Chichester Grange – Care UK, Enable, Home Instead, Hyde Housing, Chichester BID and Chichester Fire Service.

Dementia Action Week sees the public across the UK take action to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their loved ones. From 13th – 19th May, Sage House hosted events including Light Up Chichester, Dementia Support Goodwood Golf Day, the Sage House Spinathon, and a parliamentary event to showcase the Sage House model of dementia care. These events raised awareness of dementia in West Sussex, the services available at Sage House and raised funds for much-needed support.