Working to become Dementia Friendly    

Dementia awareness activities are ongoing at St John’s, alongside those at St Mary’s and St Mark’s, throughout the year. There are dementia friendly harvest services in the care homes of our parishes and the designing and giving of Christmas and Easter cards to each resident in the homes. Support is available on Sundays at St John’s for people with dementia who may need help with following the service. Informal advice and help with form filling tasks such as applications for the attendance allowance can be given. 

In 2025 both St John’s and St Mary’s hosted Grace Stead’s Dementia Stars courses and now 14 members of St John’s congregation have achieved the highest (Gold) level. Well done to them!  

Dementia Action Week in May has become a special time at St John’s the last few years. The arrangement of poems and prayers displayed on the small altar in the spiritual space of the side chapel invites reflection, particularly as the poems and prayers have all been written by those on the dementia pathway and their carers. They focus on the “me” in dementia so often forgotten under the symptoms. These poems and prayers have also become a regular inclusion in Morning Prayer at St John’s during Dementia Action Week. 

 In Dementia Action Week 2026 Grace Stead will lead a (free) 2 hour introductory session at the parish centre for people who may be becoming involved in pastoral care with those with dementia. A visit to the reflection area in the chapel can be arranged after the session.   This will be followed up in June by one of her (free) 2x3 hour Dementia Stars courses for those were unable to attend previous ones and who would wish to learn more or build on the basics of the introductory session.  

Poems and Prayers

Dementia Awareness Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for all those who travel the dementia pathway, and carers who journey with them. Be with them, merciful Lord, that despite all the problems that they encounter, they may truly know your love and your support, which can bring hope and light in even the darkest of times and during the most difficult of journeys.
Amen.
This prayer was written by our Mission Area Dementia Core Group for Dementia Action Week 2023

For more prayers and poems please see below:
A prayer for by a person with dementia
A child's prayer for people with dementia
Walk with me

Please contact the Church Office if you need any additional poems or reflections. We have many that can be used to support dementia displays and to offer comfort to those in need.