Over the past few months, Cowbridge Comprehensive School has strengthened links with the local Dementia Friendly Cowbridge (DFC) committee. On the 15th November 2018, four pupils attended a DFC committee meeting. Here, the pupils explored the best ways forward to contribute to and promote Cowbridge as an active dementia friendly community. Recently, Cowbridge Comprehensive School has taken the next step and signed up to be a “Dementia Business Friend”. This entails the school community to committing to making a positive difference in supporting dementia friendly awareness, practices and projects in respect of local residents living with dementia.

To mark this new and exciting link Cowbridge Comprehensive School were presented a Dementia Friendly mat on the 7th March 2019. The mat has been given pride of place in the school’s reception area. The presentation was attended by Steven Blackman (Chair of DFC) and Reverend Heather Weddell alongside all student committee members, Mr Ling and Mrs Taylor John. As a school, we are very grateful and honoured to be able to display that we are a dementia friendly

To date Cowbridge Comprehensive students have held a Christmas concert which welcomed people with dementia in the community on the 19th December 2018. The concert incorporated carol singing due to research carried out by deputy head girl, Emily Jenkins, who discovered that actively participating in music boosts neurological functioning in patients with dementia. It was a pleasure to hold and a great success enjoyed by all. Cowbridge students are currently organising PSE dementia awareness sessions and a logo competition for Madeline’s Project in order to further contribute to DFC.

Article written by Grace Marshall CCS Year 12 student. Students part of DFC school committee: Emily Jenkins, Maya Williams, Eve Bird, Megan Austin, Daniel Baxter, Layla Cotterell, Sophie Hawkins and Grace Marshall.