With its unchanged interior, stained glass, pews and the smell of incense and polish, Lindley church can provide a familiar and comforting connection for those living with dementia.
And later this month the church will play its part in a fresh new initiative across the whole village to create Dementia Friendly Saturdays.
St Stephen’s is one of a number of local organisations and businesses at the heart of the pilot scheme being trailed by Kirklees Dementia Action Alliance on Saturday 21 January.
The idea behind it is to encourage shops and businesses to think of better ways to support customers living with dementia, and their carers, by raising awareness amongst staff - this could include being more patient on the check out, better displays, user-friendly coin-recognition charts.
Events are planned throughout the day from 10am to 3pm. Shops and businesses will be asked to sign up to the four-pledge-scheme; there will be a drop-in and workshops at the library, the church and Lindley schools are being asked to create a forget-me-not flower as part of a competition to raise awareness among young people.
In the church there will be a service with familiar hymns, a yesteryear display of pictures, artist impressions and memorabilia from the 1900s and a dementia friendly workshop.
Vicar of Lindley, the Revd Rachel Firth said: “We’re fortunate to have a lively and busy church, but there are things about it which haven’t changed since it was built. The warmth of welcome, the familiarity of the space with its peaceful atmosphere, the stained glass, the sound of hymns, and the smell of incense and polish can be both comforting and engaging. We try and make sure we are always an accessible place, and we’re glad to be part of this push right across the Lindley community to work towards being dementia aware.”
If the day is successful, it is hoped to roll it out across other towns and villages across Kirklees.
Event Timetable - Saturday 21st January 10.00am – 3.00pm
10.00am – 11.00am Family Activity and ‘Museums in A Box’ Display at Lindley Library
Lidget Street, Lindley, HD3 3JB
10.00am – 11.00am Dementia Friends Session at Lindley Liberal Club
36 Occupation Road, Lindley, HD3 3WQ
10.15am – 10.45am Sensory Activity/DF Walk with Ground Works at Birchencliffe Garden Centre (Wyevale)
75 Birchencliffe Hill Road, Birchencliffe, HD3 3NJ
10.30am – 2.00pm Drop In ‘Memory Concerns’ Advice Clinic at Mencap in Kirklees
33 East Street, Lindley, HD3 3NP
11.00am – 12.30pm Coffee Morning, Hymns, Lindley Display of ‘Yester Year’ Old Lindley at St Stephen’s Parish Church
Lidget Street, Lindley, HD3 3JB
12.30pm – 1.30pm The Workshop - For community groups, organisations and churches that wish to work towards and become Dementia Friendly) at St Stephen’s Parish Church
Lidget Street, Lindley, HD3 3JB
11.10am – 11.30am Move More Often Demonstration at Lindley Methodist Church
East Street, Lindley, HD3 3NP
11.30am – 1.30pm Market Place Event at Lindley Methodist Church
East Street, Lindley, HD3 3NP
12.15pm – 12.45pm Judging of Forget- me- not Art Competition at Lindley Methodist Church
East Street, Lindley, HD3 3NP
2.00pm – 3.00pm Dementia Masterclass at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (Board Room)
Acre Street, Lindley, HD3 3EA
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service - Fire Engine & Crew
(Street Parked – Time and location TBC)
Activities at Lindley Grange Care Home for residents and family