Dementia can happen to anyone, 1 in 3 of us will be impacted by Dementia and half of all people with Downs Syndrome will be impacted by Dementia by the time they reach 40.

We understand that people with dementia want support to lead the life they choose. So we are creating a variety of person-centred support services, which are also accessible for those with learning disabilities and autistic people.

  • We’re operating Dementia Cafes in Sudbury and Ipswich, social activity cafes providing community to those with dementia and their families/friends.
  • We’ve also successfully piloted a high-quality, ‘home-from-home’ short break opportunity for all people with dementia. If this is of interest to you. learn more here.
  • We have created a range of Accessible Dementia Resources, made with the help of our colleagues at Thinklusive.org! See them below
  • We are supporting current customers to determine if they may have developed dementia and how we can adjust their care to support their additional needs.

De Café

Join our friendly group of people with Dementia and their families for social activities designed to support people with Dementia to engage in enjoyable social activities and build community.

Our Dementia Project Lead (also known as our Dementia Fairy!) Milly Gaskin, talked about the DeCafe and Dementia on the Preloved Chica show on Ipswich Community Radio on October 23rd 2025. You can listen to the show here and Milly comes in 23 minutes in. ICRfm The Preloved Chica Time Capsule with Milly Gaskin.

The cafe is held at The DanceHouse, Dance East, Ipswich most Wednesdays from 11am-1pm and at Sudbury Arts Centre most Thursdays from 10.30am to
12.30pm.
No need to book, but please feel free to contact Milly Gaskin for more information (details below).
Scroll down for dates for each.

DeCafe Sudbury

June

4th June 2026: Arts and Crafts

11th June 2026: Care to Move

25th June 2026: Singing for the Brain

 

July

2nd July 2026: Arts and Crafts

9th July 2026: Care to Move

16th July 2026: Gardening

23rd July 2026: Singing for the Brain

30th July 2026: Arts and Crafts

August

6th August 2026: Games

13th August 2026: Care to move

20th August 2026: Arts and Crafts

27th August 2026: Singing for the Brain

 
 
 

flyer advertising DeCafe.The top half of the flyer is bright pink with the Leading Lives logo and the words, Dementia Cafe a social activity for people with Dementia and their families. Under a wavy purple line is the word DeCafe arching over a purple cup of coffee with two hearts above it and a white heart on the cup. the words Sudbury Arts Cafe appear in white in the bottom left of the flyer.

DeCafe Ipswich

June

3rd June 2026: Games

10th June 2026: Arts and Crafts

17th June 2026: Singing for the Brain at New South West Hub

PLEASE NOTE THIS SESSION WILL BE AT NEW SOUTHWEST HUB AS PART OF THEIR COFFEE MORNING TO RAISE MONEY FOR DEMENTIA UK, NOT AT DANCE EAST. 12 Whip Street, Ipswich IP28EZ. Nearest parking is on the waterfront.

24th June 2026: Gardening

July

1st July 2026: Arts and Crafts

8th July 2026: Singing for the Brain

15th July 2026: Cake Decorating

22nd July 2026 Arts and Crafts

29th July 2026: Games

 

August

5th August 2026: Arts and Crafts

12th August 2026: Scrap Booking

19th August 2026: Arts and Crafts

26th August 2026: Singing for the Brain

DeCafe Does Lunch!

In December 2025, Maureen Howes approached Leading Lives for support in continuing the much-loved St Augustine's Dementia Lunch Group after the previous organisation could no longer run it. This monthly club has been a lifeline for many people living with dementia and their supporters — and we were determined to ensure it continued. 

So, from 13 March 2026, Maureen and her amazing volunteers will be back, offering a delicious fish and chip lunch, refreshments, activities and plenty of warm support. 

📍 St Augustine's Church Hall, Ipswich
🕒 11:45am – 3:15pm
💷 £11 per person (includes lunch & refreshments) 

Decafe Does Lunch Dates

  • 13th March 2026 
  • 10th April 2026 
  • 8th May 2026 
  • 12th June 2026 
  • July 10th 2026 
  • 14th August 2026 
  • 11th September 2026 
  • 9th October 2026 
  • 13th November 2026 
  • 11th December 2026. 

For more information contact Milly Gaskin, details below. 

flyer advertising DeCafe Does Lunch .The top half of the flyer is bright pink with the Leading Lives logo and the words, DeCafe Does Lunch a social activity for people with Dementia and their families. Under a wavy purple line are the words DeCafe DeCafe Does Lunch! runs from 11.45am to 3.15pm at St Augustine’s Church Hall, Ipswich IP3 8TH £11 entry, covers a fish and chips lunch, refreshments, activities and music! followed by the dates for 2026 - 13th March, 10th April, 8th May, 12th June, 10th July, 14th August, 11th September, 9th October, 12th November, 12th December. For more inf, email Milly.Gaskin@LeadingLives@org.uk or call 07713 080801

Short Breaks for People with Dementia

We are piloting a high-quality, ‘home-from-home’ short break opportunity for people with dementia.

We understand that people with dementia want support to lead the life they choose, not to be cared for, and our person-centred support is designed to ensure you can relax and enjoy your break while your family/carer enjoys theirs. Short Breaks are available from a single night up to a week, and are pre bookable in advance.

Accessible Dementia Resources

We have created two fantastic accessible Dementia Resources with the help of our colleagues at thinklusive.org

What is Dementia?

The ‘What is dementia’ easy-read is a resource to help learn more about what dementia is, what the signs and symptoms are, how to reduce the risk of developing dementia, and more!

Cathy has Dementia

We have  also created ‘Cathy has dementia’, an easy-read social story, which is a resource to help learn more about dementia symptoms and the process of diagnosis.

Both these resources are hosted on the Suffolk Ordinary Lives website. Click either cover to the right to read them. They are both downloadable and printable.

cover of What is Dementia, an easy read guide created by Leading lives and Thinkclusive. The cover is dark green with white writing and shows a picture of a female doctor holding a picture of a brain

cover of Cathy has Dementia, an easy read guide created by Leading lives and Thinkclusive. The cover is dark green with white writing and shows two pictures. One of Cathy, a woman with Downs Syndrome who is going through the dementia diagnosis process and a picture of a female doctor holding a picture of a brain

We also co-produced the fantastic video you can see to the right with the help of colleagues and Peer Educators at Ace Anglia.

All these resources were funded by Leading Lives, SNEE ICB,  and SCC, and were clinically supported by NSFT.

To find out more about our Dementia Support Services, please contact Milly Gaskin on: 07713 080 801 or via Milly.Gaskin@LeadingLives.org.uk