The annual Forget Me Notts Christmas lunch, supported by John Pye Auctions, took place at Trent Bridge last week.
Approximately 120 members attended the occasion in the Derek Randall Suite, which saw a full Christmas meal, games, bingo, and dancing to live music.
“It’s probably one of the highlights of the year, to be honest, because for some of these people, this will be the only Christmas lunch they get,” said Jo Belton, Chair of the Trent Bridge Community Trust.
“We’ve seen people that were on their own, isolated, lonely, or with very little verbal communication, who are now happily mixing with neighbours and friends, and they’ve got a whole support system around them which is just absolutely vital.”
The event was supported by the generosity of John Pye Auctions, while department store chain John Lewis have also committed to supporting the programme in 2026.
“John Pye have fantastically supported our Christmas events for the last few years now, and we couldn’t do it without them,” explained Health and Wellbeing Officer, Liv Mackie.
“As much as it’s a lovely event to have 120 people in a room, it does come with a cost, especially around this time.
“We couldn’t do it without the support of John Pye, and the same with John Lewis; they’ve sponsored us to book a pantomime in January for all of our members!”
Mackie continued: “Having a community like Forget Me Notts, that carries on throughout the year, is really important, but especially around this time of year, for everyone to come together and be under one roof.
“It’s a really, really isolating world, having dementia - not just for those who have it, but for everyone around them.
“People are forced into being these medical professionals for their loved ones, which they never signed up to do, and it is a hugely impactful and really quite horrible disease.”
Tragically, dementia is now the leading cause of death in the UK, and over 55 million people live with the disease globally.
That number is expected to more than double by 2050, meaning Mackie is resolute in her belief that the Forget Me Notts programme is required now more than ever.
“There is a need for Forget Me Notts,” she said. “We’ve got plenty of room, and plenty of need too, to grow. We’re only hitting a small area of Rushcliffe, and we’re already at 200 members.
“It’s bittersweet, because dementia is growing, and there’s a growing need for it because healthcare services are struggling, but if we can be here for that many people, then that’s a great thing to do.”
Belton, who is stepping up to the role of Chair having been a trustee since the Community Trust was founded, is similarly proud of the work being done.
“I thought it was time to step up and become chair, just because it means so much to me,” she said. “I’m just so proud of everything that happens.
“I’m proud of this area, and I think if you give people a chance in life and try and be kind, whether that’s a young person, or an older person who’s sometimes written off, I think the world is a much better place.”
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