Home > Community Outreach
Community Outreach & Engagement
At our charity, we believe everyone deserves equal access to support and care. Yet many communities face barriers that prevent them from getting a timely dementia diagnosis or the resources they need. That’s why we launched our community outreach and engagement project, a dedicated service to reach underserved groups and ensure they are not left behind.
Since 2023, our work has expanded from the Health Inequalities Project into a full-time programme, with a staff member focused on improving access to care for minoritized groups across Berkshire, Surrey Heath, North-East Hampshire and Farnham.
We work closely with community organisations, religious and cultural groups, and local service providers to understand what people need in order to deliver support that is culturally relevant and accessible.
Community outreach and engagement involves taking information, resources and services to the communities that are often overlooked or missed by the current system
Health Inequalities
Research shows that people with young onset dementia wait nearly twice as long for a diagnosis as older adults (4.4 years vs 2.8 years). People from ethnic minority communities are significantly underrepresented in dementia diagnoses, even though they are more likely to develop conditions that increase dementia risk. Barriers include language challenges, cultural stigma, uncertainty about the healthcare system and the misconception that memory loss is just part of ageing. Other groups face similar challenges, including:
LGBTQIA+ individuals
People with disabilities
Refugees and asylum seekers
People experiencing homelessness
Traveller and rural communities
We acknowledge these injustices and are dedicated to challenging them in all that we do.
What we're doing...
We take a hands-on, community-led approach to raising awareness and improving access.
Monthly Meets
Since January 2025, we have been running a monthly drop in session at the Indian Community Centre in Reading on the second Thursday of each month. These sessions include activities, and health and dementia speakers to raise awareness and offer a safe space to raise questions. These have proven immensely popular, not in the least because the centre provides amazing lunch!
"There are not enough places that understand my cultural needs. For people like me who have dementia, a language barrier and cannot read or write, the dementia sessions always provide this support. The staff who run the sessions proactively explain what the sessions are about and include me."
Dedworth Drop In, Windsor
As of January 2026, we have begun to host a drop-in in the Dedworth neighbourhood of Windsor. This has been in conjunction with the Windsor and Maidenhead Dementia Care Advisor team, Optalis. Using their local knowledge and connections, we have established a group where people from a variety of backgrounds come together for seated exercise and health education around issues relating to brain health and risk factors for dementia, all in the name of living well.
These run on the last Thursday of every month at All Saint’s Church, Dedworth.
Sing & Dance for Wellness, Reading
In May 2026, our team launched a new community group at Reading Biscuit Factory. This is a monthly drop-in session to help people lift their mood, connect with others and support brain health. It's free to attend, and everyone is welcome and invited. Free refreshments are included, so why not come along and celebrate Reading’s diversity through joyful music!
These run on the first Wednesday of every month from 10:30am-12:30pm in Reading, RG1 7QF.
Community Education
We deliver tailored sessions for community groups, providing culturally relevant information about dementia and the benefits of seeking a diagnosis. Recent sessions include:
• Rushmoor Healthy Living (Nepalese Community)
• Reading Voluntary Action
• Slough 50+
Lyrics & Laughter
Launched in February 2025 at Britwell Community Hub, Lyrics & Laughter was created to boost health and wellbeing through music, while raising awareness of young onset dementia across all communities. Since then, the community group has grown into a vibrant, inclusive group of nearly 30 people from diverse backgrounds who love to sing, dance and celebrate life together.
"This group has been a godsend. A complete antidote to stress and worries. The team have been amazing, every week they deliver unwavering positive vibes and energy."
Lyrics & Laughter truly represents amazing community spirit, and is a reminder of how music can bring people together.
Our goals
Through these initiatives, we aim to:
Reduce stigma around dementia
Encourage earlier diagnosis
Improve access to support services
Ensure our services reflect the true diversity of our communities
We are proud of the impact we’re making, but the work is far from over. Everyone deserves equal access to care, and we are committed to making that a reality.