Trust Impact Report

The staff, volunteers, other members and carers were so welcoming from the first visit that it immediately became a fun safe space for Phil. I didn’t realise how much Phil would enjoy dancing until we came to your session at Rushcliffe Arena. Dancing has now become something new for us to do at home too which is a great help if Phil needs to reduce is anxiety levels. As Phil feels so happy at the sessions, he has been able to attend with a paid carer without me worrying he’d be anxious without me. So, I get some valuable respite each Tuesday. Before we joined F.M.N. We felt isolated and to a small degree abandoned. Forget Me Notts. involvement to be like a breath of fresh air. It's great to know that we will be in the company of people who knowingly share our problems. We wanted to exercise and socialise, along with gaining knowledge about the situations we come across, help strengthen our determination to survive. Our new world is difficult to cope with but at least we can share our thoughts with people who understand what we are going through. Chris’ Story: Sadly my wife died in 2021 but FMN has been a constant source of support for me as it is such a happy meeting place as it was for her. Help is on hand for all who attend and just by talking together you realise you are not alone with your problems and there are ways to deal with them to make life better for both sufferer and carer. Music, exercise and games are an every day part of the programme and it is a testament to FMN when you see how many of the carers who have lost their loved one continue to keep coming to meetings. Before Forget Me Notts, life was quite lonely, frightening and confusing. We now have a reason for getting up and out of the house. We have met so many people all with similar problems - we are not alone out there. These sessions are especially valuable as they combine exercise with the chance to meet new people in similar situations. They address a real gap in the community for dementia patients who want to stay active in a relaxed setting with others who understand their experience. I’ve also started volunteering at these sessions, which I find rewarding and has helped me grow as a person. Forget Me Notts is a life line to us. When we first started there was about 6 couples now there about 25 to 30 couples each week. We have met so many people and thoroughly enjoyed so many sessions. We have a dance session at the arena and the floor is full and the staff make it so much fun they are great. It is part of our social life and got us back out of the house. Brilliant, marvellous, fantastic , that is what Forget Me Notts is to us. David and Helen’s Story: Phil and Nicole’s Story: 10 CASE STUDIES