Laughter filled the air of the Trevenson Restaurant at Cornwall College Camborne this afternoon as Cornwall’s newest Memory Café welcomed its first visitors. A group of around twenty people celebrated the opening of the facility, which has been organised by lecturers and students from the College’s Health and Social Care studies department.

Group Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Society, Cheryl Thomas, said: “We’ve had an excellent turnout; I’ve seen some familiar faces as well as some new ones, which is brilliant. Memory cafes offer a safe space for people with dementia as well as their carers; it’s also an opportunity for everyone to interact with other organisations such as the Police and the Fire Service, which can offer some really valuable advice.”

Following the successful launch there are plans to open the Memory Café each week to offer people with dementia and their carers support, advice and a platform to talk openly about living with dementia within a relaxed and informal environment. The café is also being supported by other departments across the College to include hair and beauty treatments and art and design workshops, enabling the users of the café to get hands-on with some new hobbies.

Curriculum Lead for Social Care and Health, Anne-Marie Young, said: “I am delighted with today’s launch event and the interaction between the people that attended; it really was a lovely atmosphere. The College has been at the heart of the community in Camborne, Pool and Redruth for over 80 years and our aim is to make people feel safe and to offer a warm and comfortable environment; somewhere everyone can come and relax and to get support.”

Last year Cornwall College Camborne started the journey to becoming the first Dementia Friendly campus, as students from across the site learnt how to become ‘Dementia Friends’, a project set up and run by the Alzheimer’s Society.

For more information on the health and social care courses offered by Cornwall College Group please visit www.cornwall.ac.uk or call 0845 22 32 567