TWO of the earliest members of Watchet and the Quantocks Dementia Action Alliance were the West Somerset Healthcare surgeries.

This week, Dr Andrew Allen received an up to date membership certificate for the Watchet surgery from dementia friends champion and Alzheimer’s Society ambassador Margaret Tatham.

Ms Tatham said a new certificate for the Williton surgery would also be presented shortly, as the healthcare service renewed its pledge of support.

The alliance, which is focussed on Watchet and also takes in villages across the Quantock and Brendon Hills, has as its patron the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.

West Somerset has one of the highest proportions of elderly residents in the country, many of whom live with dementia and other memory problems or care for somebody who does.

The alliance supports ‘Forget-me-not Cafes’ held on Wednesday mornings alternately in Watchet and Stogursey and other services such as Watchet’s Phoenix Centre, originally the Red Cross Centre, which has led care for older people in the town and provided daily lunches with the help of teams of volunteers.

Many of the other local village and town churches are also members of the alliance, which aims to encourage organisations and businesses to have at least one person trained in how to be dementia friendly.

More information about activities for people living with dementia and ways to be more dementia friendly can be found on the alliance’s website www.WatchetDementia.org.uk or by emailing [email protected] or contacting Margaret Tatham on 07973638030.