Seachange in Budleigh Salterton has been chosen for the Coop Local Community Fund.

The funding period will run until next year, closing on 19 October 2024 and then you’ll receive your grant the following month.

Emma Roberts, of Seachange Budleigh said: "If you're a Coop member, consider making Seachange your charity of choice, Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton Co-op Community Together, we can make a positive impact! Together, we can make a positive impact."

This project will continue to provide a safe and familiar place where those with dementia can express themselves and take part in activities. Benefits include improved short-term memory, slower progression of cognitive decline, improved self-esteem and confidence and peer support. As a result of running the pilot Memory Café, we identified a need to provide support to carers. As such two of the volunteers have set up a “dementia carers support group” at Seachange, where ongoing peer support is offered and new friendships have been formed. We will continue to learn through feedback from our volunteers, attendees and their families as well as observations made by our team. Transport is available for those who have no other way of getting to us.

The Memory Café supports 20 people per week with dementia and other memory loss conditions. Activities include exercise, craft, quizzes, music and intergenerational activities with the nursery.

Seachange was shaped and set up by the community when the former Budleigh Salterton Community Hospital was transformed, as a result of local funding efforts, into a vibrant community health and wellbeing centre. Opened in 2017 and serving the Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton area of East Devon, Seachange brings together residents, activity groups, other charities, NHS services, transport, a children’s nursery, a gym, a café, and organisations as one community, integrating and creating a safe place which improves the lives of our community.