Let’s talk about dementia!

‘Mentioning Dementia’ – is a first national celebration of the spoken word in dementia.

It is being organised as part of ‘Dementia is…’, the 11th annual South Yorkshire Dementia Creative Arts Exhibition (July 1st – 5th, Meadowhall Interchange), supported by the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and University College Rotherham. The event is supported by a generous grant from the Marjorie Coote Old People’s Charities Fund.

The event image was designed and created by University College Rotherham student, Humairaa Hussain: humairaadesigns@gmail.com

What is Mentioning Dementia about?

This year we invite persons affected by dementia from across the country to come and share their poetry, share their stories and autobiographical accounts. In keeping with the 2019 Exhibition theme ‘Dementia is…’, we definitely want to talk about dementia! Come and learn about dementia from those who know it best.

Speakers:

There are a number of people affected by dementia coming to talk about dementia. There will be poems, recollections, memories and calls to arms!

The fantastic Helen Smith from Mapplewell Manor Care Home will lead our event.

Rae Burton will read from her own book of poetry

Some residents of Mapplewell Manor will also read their poems

Dementia Diaries Live!

We are proud to welcome a special Dementia Diaries Live Performance, with best selling author of ‘Somebody I used to Know’ and diarist Wendy Mitchell, diarist and activist Howard Gordon and diarist and artist Jacqui Bingham.

Dementia Diaries is a UK-wide project that brings together people’s diverse experiences of living with dementia as a series of audio diaries.

It serves as a public record and a personal archive that documents the views, reflections and day-to-day lives of people living with dementia, with the aim of prompting dialogue and changing attitudes.

‘Dementia Diaries Live’ is the opportunity to hear three Dementia Diarists reading excerpts from their own and other Diarist’s recordings.

Hear the real, raw, often funny and often sad powerful diaries. There will also be the opportunity to find out more about how Dementia Diariesworks and what the project means to the Diarists.

To hear over 1,500 Dementia Diaries recordings please visit www.dementiadiaries.org to find out more.

If you want to join in and read your work at Mentioning Dementia to a public audience then please get in touch because there is still time to arrange this.

The South Yorkshire Dementia Creative Arts Exhibition has previously organised successful spoken word events for people within the region, facilitated by nationally acclaimed poets such as John Killick and Diane Hinchliffe.

There will only be light refreshments at this event. Please feel free to bring some lunch along with you to this free public event.