Dementia Friendly Market Reaches ‘Gold Bar’ Standard

Llanelli Market is now officially recognised as the first Dementia Friendly market in Wales raising the bar to ‘gold bar’ standard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Its stallholders and staff have signed up to pledge to respect the needs of those presenting with dementia, wear badges, display signs and make improvements to help the growing numbers with dementia in the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mayor of Llanelli, Cllr Bill Thomas, recognising the town’s traders championing the case for dementia, welcomed market stallholders and staff to Llanelli Town Council offices to present them with their Dementia Friendly plaques, certificates and unit display badges. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Llanelli Community Resource team resilience worker Ed Dewar said work with the Llanelli GP Cluster had identified that dementia within Llanelli was increasing as were the issues arising. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All those involved had attended training sessions organised by the Alzheimer’s Society and Carmarthenshire County Council to uphold good practice to benefit those with dementia and raising awareness of dementia in Carmarthenshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dementia Friendly Communities’ co-ordinator Marcia Vale said tackling dementia was extremely challenging, but that Llanelli Market and Carmarthenshire Council was raising the bar to ‘gold bar’ standard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County markets manager Amanda Davies said she was proud of Llanelli market traders for the manner in which they had risen to the challenge of supporting and raising awareness of dementia. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​