Honiton and District Chamber of Commerce members, town councillors, volunteers from The Beehive and employees from Ford Simey spent an hour-and-a-half with Heather Penwarden, chairman of Honiton Dementia Action Alliance group.

Midweek Herald: Honiton town councillors at the dementia friendly sessionHoniton town councillors at the dementia friendly session (Image: Archant)

Several organisations in Honiton are working towards becoming dementia-friendly after undertaking training.

Honiton and District Chamber of Commerce members, town councillors, volunteers from The Beehive and employees from Ford Simey spent an hour-and-a-half with Heather Penwarden, chairman of Honiton Dementia Action Alliance group (DAA).

They all learnt about the illness, and how it affects people, their families and carers.

After the session, they all pledged to all do one thing to help a person living with dementia, or advise on dementia awareness.

Colin Wright, chamber of commerce chairman, said: “This was an exceptionally useful meeting and I learnt an awful lot.

“There are so many different forms of dementia and so many differing ways of dealing with it that I did not know about.

“I also did not realise the affect it has on people in different ways.”

Mr Wright is now calling on other businesses and organisations to be aware of other presentations that will be held in the town by Honiton DAA throughout the rest of this year.

Mrs Penwarden said: “I was absolutely delighted to be able to talk to the members of the chamber of commerce and town council about becoming dementia friendly. They were a very engaging audience and I know will take the messages away and spread the word around Honiton so that even more people are aware.”

More than 600 people have become dementia friendly thanks to the work of Honiton DAA.