Thank you for providing a lifeline to families facing dementia.

My nan and I did everything together, so when she was diagnosed with dementia, caring for her full-time just felt like the right thing to do. But there were moments when it was incredibly tough. I thought I had to be strong all the time, but without enough support, I often found myself on the edge of burnout.

What made it harder was the silence. In the Black community, dementia isn’t something we talk about. People didn’t understand what was happening to Nan, and for a while, I didn’t either. But instead of hiding it, I decided to speak up. If people thought Nan was acting ‘strange’, I told them what was really going on.

That’s where the idea of setting up a dementia café came from. I wanted it to be a place where Nan would feel at home, where I could find support as a carer, and where we’d tackle the stigma of dementia together.

The café is full of laughter, dancing and connection. It’s a place where people with dementia can be themselves, and where carers feel seen and supported. Nan has now passed away, but the café is part of her legacy; her love lives on in every smile and every shared moment.

Whenever visitors to the café need advice or information about dementia, I always refer them to Dementia UK. No one should face this journey alone and it's your generosity that makes this vital support possible.

Thanks to you, people like me have somewhere to turn. There’s help out there, and still so much joy to be found

Michaela