New Crewe dementia café welcomes first guests

A new café offering a warm and welcoming space for those living with dementia, and their loved ones, has opened in Crewe, serving as a valuable support network for all local people.

Hosted by not-for-profit dementia specialist, Belong, B’s Café takes place at the Brookhouse Drive care village, and gives guests the opportunity to enjoy a range of experiences while accessing support and forming new friendships at the fortnightly sessions. The programme includes arts and crafts workshops, pet therapy, specialist exercise classes and visits from musical performers.

Also on-hand, Belong Admiral Nurses provide a dedicated dementia nurse service available through the organisation’s partnership with another charity, Dementia UK, offering advice and the confidence to help individuals and their loved ones manage a future living with dementia. 

Jessica Butler, experience coordinator at Belong Crewe, explains more about the new venture: “Dementia affects not only the person living with it, but also their family and friends, who are often their carers, too. We understand the challenges they can face, sometimes on their own, and that’s why we’ve launched B’s Café, to give a helping hand and a support network, which we know is vitally important to have.”

The dementia café is open to everyone, including non-residents, has been made possible thanks to Crewe Town Council’s Community Plan Committee, forming part of its Creating Dementia Friendly Crewe project, as well as assistance from The Thursday Club Nantwich.

Speaking of the inaugural gathering, one guest said: “My husband is living with dementia and he was fully engaged and he said how marvellous the afternoon was – to hear him say this aloud means so much to me.”

Dawn Clark, Lead of The Thursday Club, added: “We are delighted to be able to support B’s Café. The Thursday Club aims to support the dementia communities in Crewe and Nantwich, and we are pleased to partner with Belong and share our experience in delivering dementia friendly clubs. They have got off to a great start and I hope to see more of the local community taking advantage of everything B’s Café has to offer.”

Jessica Butler continued: “B’s café is named after our inspirational colleague, Belinda Jones, who is sadly no longer with us after losing a two-year battle with cancer. She helped shape our values, including being compassionate, and this extends outside our village to the wider community. Her legacy lives on and we know how much something like this would mean to her and her family.”

B’s Café takes place fortnightly at Belong Crewe, Brookhouse Drive, Crewe, CW2 6NA.

For more information or to book a place at the next session, contact Jessica Butler by calling 01270 561200.

More information about all the clubs supported can be found by searching The Thursday Club Nantwich on Facebook.

Pictured - Christine Messam & Leanne Bone.