Hugo Swire commends Sid Valley Memory Cafe and Herald for £100,000 appeal

East Devon’s MP has shared his wish to have two or three Admiral Nurses in the Sid Valley to support the growing number of people diagnosed with dementia.

Hugo Swire this week commended the work of the Sid Valley Memory Café in its bid to raise £100,000 to bring a dementia specialist to the area.

Currently, Dementia UK provides more than 140 Admiral Nurses across the UK, but the memory café’s campaign would see the first nurse in Devon. Up to 700 people in the Sid Valley are estimated to be living with dementia.

Mr Swire said: “I take dementia extremely seriously. It is a great campaign and I commend the Herald and the Sid Valley Memory Café for doing it.”

David Cameron unveiled proposals to make England the best country in the world for care for people with dementia and their carers - and in its research into the disease - by 2020.

Mr Swire said it was also important to remember family members and carers who look after someone living with dementia.

He said: “It is also making sure the carers caring for dementia sufferers do not get overlooked - the unsung army of heroes and heroines.”

He highlighted the importance of legacies and bequests after Sidmouth Town Council donated £10,000 to the appeal, plus subsequent donations of £5,000 for five years, following the appointment of the nurse.

Mr Swire added: “We know how generous people in the Sid Valley can be. We need only look to the [Sidmouth Victoria Hosptial] comforts fund, the lifeboat and The Donkey Sanctuary - people will donate money if they consider it to be a worthy cause.”

He has written to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, to see what government funding is available to support the campaign going forward.

Mr Swire said he will be holding talks with PegasusLife to discuss the possibility of a second memory café.

The developer hopes to create a community for over-60s when East Devon District Council relocates from Knowle.