Cheesemakers at Wales’ oldest dairy co-operative South Caernarfon Creameries have launched a campaign to support people with dementia in their community.

Staff based at the co-operative’s headquarters at Chwilog have undergone training from experts at the Alzheimer’s Society to become ‘dementia friends’.

A dozen workers took part giving them an insight and better understanding of how to support friends, family and other people in their community.

It comes after staff at SCC raised over £800 for the Alzheimer’s Society and decided they wanted to learn more about dementia.

Managing director Alan Wyn Jones said the desire to help was driven by the 80-year old co-operative’s family ethos.

He said: “We’re at the heart of the community here on the beautiful Llyn Peninsula.

“As far as we are concerned our co-operative members across north and mid Wales and in Ceredigion are one big family. Sadly, some members of that family will have been touched by dementia at different points in their lives.

“That’s why we chose to support Alzheimer’s Society and raised over £800 for this worthy charity through a Christmas raffle. When the society offered to hold a follow-up workshop here as a thank you we didn’t hesitate to take them up on it.” 

Helen Marchant, Alzheimer’s Society community fundraiser for north Wales, said: “Among the aims of our workshops is to educate and inform, to increase awareness of dementia issues and get past generalisations, the tendency to class everyone diagnosed with dementia as the same."

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