National recognition for kind-hearted Rotherham dementia volunteers

The dedicated team, all aged between 73 and 90, were named nationwide unpaid carers of the year at the Great British Care Awards, beating off competition from eight other regional finalists. 

They were presented with their award during a gala dinner attended by over 1,000 people at Birmingham's ICC.

The Rotherham volunteers, all of whom have experience of caring for a loved one with dementia themselves, have clocked up thousands of hours between them at dementia carer support groups, known as dementia cafes. 

They spend time each week chatting, playing games, dancing and singing with the carers and the people with dementia they care for.

Social care charity Making Space, which coordinates dementia carer support services in Rotherham, nominated the group for the award. 

Six of the volunteers — Sandra Brockley (79), Alec Senior (90), Roy Ashton (89), Betty Parkin (73), Dorothy Bolland (75) and Maggie Smith (79), attended the ceremony, along with Cath Magee and Steph Johansen from Making Space.

Volunteer Sandra has helped to raise over £1 million for a range of charities in Rotherham in the last 30 years and was awarded her MBE in 2006 as a reward for her community work.

 She said: “Dementia cafes provide an invaluable form of support to people living with dementia and their carers. 

“The friendships people make there sustain them when their caring responsibilities come to an end.

“Dementia cafes simply couldn't function without volunteers as we bring our own experience of what people are going through.

“It feels fantastic that we have all received this recognition for what we do — and that we have helped to raise the profile of dementia cafes and of volunteering.”

Making Space runs monthly dementia cafes in Dalton, Wath, Thurcroft and Maltby. 

You can find out more by calling 01709 910889 or emailing [email protected].