Caring students from Sidmouth College employed their newfound skills as Dementia Friends to keep sufferers company this week.

Sidmouth Herald: Michaela and Demi from Sidmouth college dementia friends playing skittles with David Beale at the Sidmouth memory cafe. Photo by Terry Ife. Ref shs 2983-12-14TI To order your copy of this photograph go to www.sidmouthherald.co.uk and click on myphotos24Michaela and Demi from Sidmouth college dementia friends playing skittles with David Beale at the Sidmouth memory cafe. Photo by Terry Ife. Ref shs 2983-12-14TI To order your copy of this photograph go to www.sidmouthherald.co.uk and click on myphotos24 (Image: Archant)

Their school is one of the first in the country to take part in the Alzheimer’s Society initiative, in which they learn about the illness and share what they know throughout the community.

The health and social care classmates visited the Sid Valley Memory Café to play games and create crafts with the older residents on Wednesday.

Sidmouth College is forging links with the group and is inviting dementia sufferers to recount their own school days in the summer.